Compare towns
Plainfield vs Barnet vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Barnet | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,855 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Plainfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Plainfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.