Compare towns
Braintree vs Mendon 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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,113 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
| Braintree and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Mendon 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% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Braintree 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.