Compare towns
Barre vs Guilford vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Guilford has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Barre | Guilford | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,461 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$75,243±$6kHighest 7% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$312,600±$39k about the VT average |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.7%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Guilford 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.