Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Sheffield 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).
Sheffield has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
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 | Sheffield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368 |
573Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7Highest about the VT average |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury 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% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest 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%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and St. Johnsbury 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 |
$58,333±$26k 28% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
| Springfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17k 44% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$192,400±$20kHighest 39% below VT |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Sheffield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916 22% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield 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% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield 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 | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.