Compare towns
Bristol vs Dover vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Bristol | Dover | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,466 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kHighest 8% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Bristol and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.