Compare towns
Montgomery vs Middlebury vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Montgomery | Middlebury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 58% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.