Compare towns
Brookfield vs Northfield vs Putney 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%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Northfield | Putney | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
5,920Highest |
2,622 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 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%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Putney and Northfield 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 |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 |
$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% 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 |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Northfield 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 |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Northfield 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.