Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Sutton 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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Sutton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453Highest |
2,239 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Sutton 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% |
44.3% 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% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$15k about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Brookfield 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. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest 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. |
1971 9 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 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above 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% |
14.8%±5.6 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.