What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).

Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	Plainfield
People
Population	980Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT	48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT
	Bridgewater and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%	21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	48.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT	$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT
	Bridgewater and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT	$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT	$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT
	Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT	$4,806Highest 5% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.