Compare towns
Brookfield vs Grafton 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%).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Grafton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
666Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Brookfield 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% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$76,111±$7k 6% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Grafton 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 |
$343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Grafton and Brookfield 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 |
$1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Grafton 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 |
$4,843Highest 4% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Grafton 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 min 4% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Athens Grafton School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.