Compare towns
Brookline vs Calais vs Plainfield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Brookline | Calais | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,713Highest |
1,314 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
— |
| Brookline and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 21% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| 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.