Compare towns
Dummerston vs Hardwick vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Dummerston | Hardwick | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090 |
2,965Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.