Compare towns
Brookfield vs Windham vs Williston vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Windham | Williston | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
19,188Highest |
10,144 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Windham 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 22% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Windham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 14 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.