Compare towns
Grafton vs Plainfield vs Townshend vs Windham
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 renters (19.1% rent).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Townshend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666 |
1,314 |
1,538Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Grafton and Townshend 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%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7k 6% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Grafton 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 |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% 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 |
$5,364 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Townshend 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.