Compare towns
Brookfield vs White River Junction vs Wilder 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%).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | White River Junction | Wilder | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
3,364Highest |
3,087 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.5±8.9 6% 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%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and White River Junction 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Wilder 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and White River Junction 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 |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% 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±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| White River Junction and Plainfield 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 |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and White River Junction 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% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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 | — | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.