Compare towns
Braintree vs Cavendish vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Cavendish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k 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 | Braintree | Cavendish | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,242 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Cavendish and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,948 22% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| 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.