Compare towns
Ira vs Plainfield vs Windham vs Worcester
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 oldest population (median age 54.1).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,314Highest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Windham 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | 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.