Compare towns
Peacham vs Walden vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peacham has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Peacham | Walden | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 887Lowest |
1,037 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±5.7Highest 16% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
| Peacham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Peacham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Peacham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,000±$28kHighest 11% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Peacham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,000±$64k 5% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,028±$248 17% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,605Highest 11% above VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 24.2%±16.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Peacham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Peacham School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| 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.