Compare towns
Manchester vs Plainfield vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (80.9%).
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
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 | Manchester | Plainfield | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,486Highest |
1,314Lowest |
3,778 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.5±6.3Highest 26% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
| Manchester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Manchester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,886±$23kHighest 17% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,600±$47kHighest 44% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$76Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,923 18% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±13.9 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 39% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Manchester and Bristol 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 | #37 of 70 in VT | — | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| 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.