Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Plainfield vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | St. Johnsbury | Plainfield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368 |
1,314Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1958Highest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 70 in VT | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.