Compare towns
Guilford vs Dummerston 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 affordable homes ($313k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Dummerston | Sharon | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461Highest |
2,090 |
1,577 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Sharon 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Sharon 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Guilford and Plainfield 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 |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Dummerston and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Sharon and Dummerston 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 |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
| Dummerston and Sharon 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 |
$4,536Lowest 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% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Guilford 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% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 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 |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Sharon School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.