Compare towns
Guilford vs Waltham 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 kids (17.5% under 18).
Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 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 | Waltham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,461Highest |
452Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2Lowest 8% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Waltham and Plainfield 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% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waltham 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 |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Waltham 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 |
$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,153±$103 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 | $5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest 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% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.