Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Ripton vs Rochester
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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Plainfield | Ripton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,314 |
508Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
— | $929±$158Lowest 25% 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Rochester 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Brookfield 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.