Compare towns
Marshfield vs Bennington vs Plainfield
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 people working from home (24.5%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k 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 | Bennington | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863 |
15,249Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.5% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,313±$10k 26% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,100±$37k 32% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±73.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Plainfield 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.