Compare towns
Montgomery vs Plainfield vs Strafford
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 most renters (19.3% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 48.1).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Plainfield | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
1,314 |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Montgomery and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford 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 |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
| Plainfield and Strafford 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 58% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None 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.