Compare towns
Brookfield vs Hardwick vs Roxbury 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%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Roxbury has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
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 | Hardwick | Roxbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
2,965Highest |
942Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
35.6±11.7Lowest 17% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
30.6%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
18.7%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Hardwick 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% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
29.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Roxbury 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 |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$73,214±$22k 10% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Hardwick 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 |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$242,600±$55k 23% 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±$306 21% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$950±$495 23% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% 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 |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$4,284Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
16.7%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
27.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.