Compare towns
Marshfield vs Windham vs Northfield vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Marshfield | Windham | Northfield | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 470Lowest |
594 |
5,920Highest |
573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
| Windham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$20k 4% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Windham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79Highest 9% below VT |
— | $1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Marshfield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,269 35% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 24% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Marshfield 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 | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | — | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.