Compare towns
Chelsea vs Plainfield vs Tunbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Chelsea | Plainfield | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,223Lowest |
1,314Highest |
1,253 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
42.7±8.3Lowest about the VT average |
| Chelsea and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
| Chelsea and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,346±$128 9% above VT |
| Chelsea and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.3%±33.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 28% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None 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.