Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bennington vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Plainfield | Bennington | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
15,249Highest |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Bennington 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.