Compare towns
Bristol vs Plainfield vs Vergennes
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 people working from home (17.9%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Vergennes has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Vergennes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,565 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
46.6±2.1Lowest 8% above VT |
| Plainfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Bristol and Vergennes 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
42.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$76,587±$13kHighest 6% below VT |
| Vergennes and Bristol 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$310,000±$24kLowest about the VT average |
| Bristol and Plainfield 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 |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,000±$267Lowest 19% 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 |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,578 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.9%±17.7Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 9% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Plainfield 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 | — | #22 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | Vergennes Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 7.7Lowest |
| 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.