Compare towns
Holderness vs Barre vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Holderness | Barre | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Barre and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barre and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Barre 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.