Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlebury vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.6%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookfield | Middlebury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150 |
7,220Highest |
1,016Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Highest 6% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
34.5±6.6 11% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$28kLowest 54% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$155,100±$17k 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75 31% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197 about the U.S. average |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.