Compare towns
Plainfield vs Chester 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 expensive homes ($318k median).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Chester | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Chester 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Plainfield 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Plainfield and Chester 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
| Marshfield and Plainfield 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 |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
65.7%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.