Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dummerston vs Westminster
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).
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k 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 | Dummerston | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
2,090 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Westminster 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster 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 |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Dummerston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Westminster 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.