Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Whitingham vs Lincoln
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Whitingham | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,314Lowest |
1,368 |
1,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
45.7±3.6Lowest 6% above VT |
| 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%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham 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% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.9%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$96,667±$18k 19% above VT |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 |
$262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
$365,200±$30kHighest 15% above VT |
| Lincoln 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 |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$870±$47 29% 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 | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$6,100Highest 21% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
49.1%±25.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Whitingham 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
88.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
— |
| 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.