Compare towns
Bennington vs Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Bennington | Brookfield | Plainfield | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% 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 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Brattleboro 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.