Compare towns
Guilford vs Bennington vs Plainfield vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guilford has the highest household income ($75k).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Guilford | Bennington | Plainfield | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461 |
15,249Highest |
1,314 |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6kHighest 7% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$63,889±$7k 21% below VT |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39k about the VT average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,991 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Guilford 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.