Compare towns
Brookfield vs Montgomery vs Plainfield vs Windham
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%).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Montgomery | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,047 |
1,314 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Montgomery 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% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Windham 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% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery 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% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Montgomery 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 |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Brookfield and Windham 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 |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Brookfield 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 |
$868±$209Lowest 30% 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 |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield 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% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Windham 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | — |
| 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.