Compare towns
Milton vs Plainfield vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Westford has the most people working from home (19.1%).
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 | Milton | Plainfield | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,769Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±2.5Lowest 3% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.1±8.6 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Milton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$112,750±$12k 39% above VT |
| Milton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,500±$20k 18% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,536±$257 24% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,610 11% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westford 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 | #56 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Milton School District | — | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Milton Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.