Compare towns
Essex vs Plainfield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (82.9%).
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 | Essex | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
1,314 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Essex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Essex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,199±$14kHighest 36% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Essex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,602Highest 31% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Essex and Windham 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 | #13 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | — | — |
| 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.