Compare towns
Plainfield vs Stowe vs Shelburne
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 affordable homes ($442k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
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 | Stowe | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
5,285 |
7,969Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Shelburne 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. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16k 44% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
$1,442±$589Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Stowe 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. |
$7,161Lowest 130% above U.S. |
$8,173Highest 162% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shelburne and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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 | — | #8 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.