Compare towns
Brandon vs Plainfield vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most renters (15.7% rent).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Brandon | Plainfield | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
2,522Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brandon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Chester 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Plainfield School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.