What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Plainfield
People
Population	531Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT
	Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±6Highest VT: 17.9%	16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brookline and Plainfield 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%	21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Plainfield and Brookline 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%	48.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average	$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT
	Brookline and Plainfield 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	$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average
	Plainfield and Brookline 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	$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$4,806Lowest 5% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Brookline 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%	11.6%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 21% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.