What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).

Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).

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.

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

Measure	Plainfield	Fairlee
People
Population	1,314Highest	54Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT	63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT
Kids under 18	16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Fairlee 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%	37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Fairlee 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%	11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest VT: 7%	0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Plainfield and Fairlee 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	$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average	$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT
	Plainfield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT	$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT
	Plainfield and Fairlee 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	$3,750Lowest 26% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Lowest VT: 48.4%	100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	50%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT	1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 min about the VT average	—
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Fairlee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.