Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Windham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Brattleboro | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
— | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.