Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cornwall vs Middlebury 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%).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
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 | Cornwall | Middlebury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,208Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Cornwall and Plainfield 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% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Cornwall 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 7% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Cornwall 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 | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.