Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Keene 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 people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Castleton | Keene | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453 |
22,939Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.