Compare towns
Cornish vs Dummerston vs Royalton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Royalton has the most renters (36.5% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Royalton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,090 |
2,752Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
43.9±10.1 13% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Royalton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$103,938±$24k 29% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,675 50% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #48 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | White River Unified School District #79 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.



