Compare towns
Ira vs Middlesex vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Ira | Middlesex | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Ira and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| 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.