Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield vs Braintree
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%).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
1,314 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Braintree and Dover 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% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Dover 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Dover and Plainfield 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 |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Plainfield 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Plainfield and Braintree 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 |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Braintree 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 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.