Compare towns
Castleton vs Hardwick vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Castleton | Hardwick | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,965 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Hardwick and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.