Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Sheffield vs Tunbridge
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 highest household income ($99k).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Sheffield has the most kids (34.7% under 18).
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 | Sheffield | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,314 |
190Lowest |
1,253 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
| 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%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Tunbridge 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
13.2%±14Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±5.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2Highest VT: 7% |
| Tunbridge 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±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
| Brookfield and Tunbridge 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT |
$315,300±$23k 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±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,219±$563 about the VT average |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Sheffield 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 |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$1,714Lowest 66% below VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Tunbridge 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 | — | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school 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.