Compare towns
Middlesex vs Plainfield vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Middlesex | Plainfield | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
1,314 |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
| Jay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Middlesex and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Jay 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 | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.