Compare towns
Brookfield vs Milton 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%).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Milton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
10,769Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
41.6±2.5Lowest 3% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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% |
17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Milton 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% |
16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Milton 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±$23k 21% above VT |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Milton 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 |
$372,500±$20kHighest 18% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Milton 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 |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,610Highest 11% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Milton 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% |
3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest 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 | — | #56 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Milton School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Milton Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.