Compare towns
Newport vs Plainfield vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newport has the most affordable homes ($179k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Newport | Plainfield | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,394 |
2,522Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.3Highest 19% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Newport and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newport and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,646±$12kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,400±$11kLowest 46% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$49Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,036Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newport and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.8%±8.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #63 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District | Plainfield School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | North Country Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.