Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Ripton vs Stowe
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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
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 | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,314 |
508Lowest |
5,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
46.3±7.6Lowest 7% above VT |
| Plainfield and Ripton 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Brookfield 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%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%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% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$93,618±$33k 15% above 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±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
— | $1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Stowe and Plainfield 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ripton 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Stowe 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 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.