Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield vs Sharon
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 affordable homes ($318k median).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,314Lowest |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Sharon 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
| Sharon 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±$55k 5% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Dover 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±$103 7% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Plainfield 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 | — | Sharon School District |
| 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.