Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Townshend
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Brookfield and Townshend 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 |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
| 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±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Plainfield and Townshend 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 |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Townshend 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% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend 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 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.