Compare towns
Guildhall vs Plainfield vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Guildhall | Plainfield | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 371Lowest |
1,314 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Plainfield and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Guildhall and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Guildhall and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Guildhall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62k about the VT average |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625Lowest 8% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.