Compare towns
Plainfield vs Middlebury vs Danube
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Danube has the most kids (30.9% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Danube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,016 |
9,175Highest |
888Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.5±6.6 11% below U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
38.2±5Highest about the U.S. average |
| Danube and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlebury and Danube are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.9%±11.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$67,917±$23kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $155,100±$17k 53% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$144,600±$24kLowest 57% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$566 20% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Danube are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$2,850 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24%±98.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.5%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.