Compare towns
Plainfield vs Calais vs Mendon vs Marshfield
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 most renters (19.1% rent).
Calais has the most expensive homes ($390k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k 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 | Mendon | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
1,713 |
1,113Lowest |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Mendon 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%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
38.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Calais and Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Calais and Mendon 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 |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,317±$126 7% above VT |
| Calais and Marshfield 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
65.7%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Calais 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 | 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.