Compare towns
Brookfield vs Waitsfield 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 highest household income ($99k).
Waitsfield has the most renters (66.2% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k 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 | Waitsfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
193Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 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% |
71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
71.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waitsfield 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 |
$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 |
$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% 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 | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,688 7% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.1%±49.6 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Waitsfield 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% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
14 minLowest 40% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.