Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Royalton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
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).
Royalton has the most renters (36.5% 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 | Royalton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453Highest |
2,752 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Royalton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| 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 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | White River Unified School District #79 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.