Compare towns
Guilford vs Plainfield vs Windham vs Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Vernon has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Windham | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461 |
1,314 |
594Lowest |
2,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.6±5.4Lowest about the VT average |
| 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%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Windham 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Vernon 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 |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$85,682±$9k 6% above VT |
| Windham and Vernon 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$285,100±$25kLowest 10% below VT |
| Windham and Plainfield 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 |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
— | $1,023±$214Lowest 17% 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 | $5,827 16% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,191 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | — | — | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — | Vernon School District |
| High school 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.