Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Weston vs Braintree
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Weston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Weston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,314 |
685Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+10.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
60.5±7Highest 40% above VT |
58.4±2.4 35% above VT |
| Weston and Braintree 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% |
15.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest 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% |
44.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 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±$23k 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$115,000±$20kHighest 42% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Weston 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 |
$537,700±$77kHighest 70% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,375±$729Highest 11% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Weston and Plainfield 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 |
$7,076Highest 40% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer 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 |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
31.2%±7.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Weston 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 | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.