Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Brookfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bakersfield has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Bakersfield | Brookfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±8Lowest 8% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18k about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19kLowest 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Highest about the VT average |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 40% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.