Compare towns
Calais vs Plainfield vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Calais | Plainfield | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
1,314Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Plainfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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 | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Plainfield 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 | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.