Compare towns
Marshfield vs Walden 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 kids (24.2% under 18).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Walden | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Walden and Plainfield 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden 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% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Walden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% 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 |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| 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.