What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Brookline
People
Population	1,314Highest	531Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT	45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT
	Plainfield and Brookline 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%	20%±6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4%	19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Plainfield and Brookline 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%	41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT	$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average
	Brookline and Plainfield 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	$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT
	Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT	$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,806Lowest 5% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.6%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	28 minHighest 21% above VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%
	Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.