Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bennington vs Grantham
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 the most expensive homes ($442k median).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
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 | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
15,249Highest |
3,465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
50.4±7.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Grantham 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%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±6Lowest 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. |
$106,403±$54k 32% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$343,100±$39k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,605 144% 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% |
— |
| Bennington and Plainfield 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% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest 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 | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Grantham 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.