Compare towns
Plainfield vs St. Albans vs White River Junction 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%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | St. Albans | White River Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
6,954 |
3,364 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% 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% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and St. Albans 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% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest 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 | $122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$77,168±$4k 4% below 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. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below 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. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below 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 | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,651 81% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 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. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.