Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Wells 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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Wells | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368 |
1,148Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Wells 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% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Springfield 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% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Wells 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 |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Wells 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 |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
| Wells and Springfield 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 |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Wells 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 |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest 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 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | 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.