Compare towns
Dover vs Marshfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Marshfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Dover | Marshfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,863Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Marshfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$60,313±$10k 26% below VT |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
65.7%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | — |
| 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.