Compare towns
Highgate vs Marshfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the highest household income ($81k).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Highgate | Marshfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,863 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Highgate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Marshfield and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Highgate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,668 27% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
65.7%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Plainfield 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | — |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.