Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sutton vs Whitingham vs Plainfield
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%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Whitingham has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Sutton | Whitingham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
790Lowest |
1,368 |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% 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% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest 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% |
21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Sutton 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 |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sutton 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 |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$318,400±$34k 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±$306 21% below VT |
— | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% 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 | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,975Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest 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% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | — |
| 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.