Compare towns
Plainfield vs Calais vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
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 | Calais | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314 |
1,713Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Plainfield 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Ira 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Calais and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 5% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Calais 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.