Compare towns
Bennington 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
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Bennington | Guilford | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,461 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
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 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Guilford 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% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Bennington 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% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% 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 | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% 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 | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% 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 | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.