Compare towns
Guilford vs Bennington vs Sharon vs Plainfield
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 most people working from home (16.7%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Guilford | Bennington | Sharon | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461 |
15,249Highest |
1,577 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above 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% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 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±$6k 7% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Sharon and Guilford 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 |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Sharon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Sharon and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827 16% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Guilford 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Sharon 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 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.