Compare towns
Guilford vs Middlesex 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 most renters (19.9% rent).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Middlesex | Plainfield | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461Highest |
1,943 |
1,314 |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% 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% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39k about the VT average |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$267,500±$21kLowest 16% below VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$4,991 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Halifax 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer 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 |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.