Compare towns
Barnet vs Plainfield vs Calais vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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 | Barnet | Plainfield | Calais | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855Highest |
1,314 |
1,713 |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Plainfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 11% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.