Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dover 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
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Dover | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest 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+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Williston 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. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% 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 | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% 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 | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% 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 | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Williston 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Dover School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
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| 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.