Compare towns
Grafton vs Plainfield vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (89.9%).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Grafton | Plainfield | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666Lowest |
1,314Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kHighest 6% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Grafton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
| Grafton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843 4% below VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | — | Rivendell Interstate 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.