Compare towns
Guilford vs Ripton vs Windham 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).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Guilford 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6k 7% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Windham 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±$103Lowest 7% 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ripton 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| 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.