Compare towns
Brookfield vs Groton vs Plainfield vs Braintree
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%).
Groton has the most homeowners (94.4%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Groton | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
967Lowest |
1,314 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.7±5.8Lowest 6% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.3%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest 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% |
20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree 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% VT: 43.8% |
38.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.5%±5.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Groton 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 |
$77,250±$14k 5% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 |
$243,000±$70k 23% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$288±$151Lowest 77% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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 |
$3,659Lowest 27% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree 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% |
6.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 min 29% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.