Compare towns
Calais vs Windham vs Plainfield
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 kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Calais | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below 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 | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Calais and Windham 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 |
| Calais and Plainfield 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Windham 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 |
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.