What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).

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	Kirby
People
Population	1,314Highest	756Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT	38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT
	Plainfield and Kirby 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%	30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4%	19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Plainfield and Kirby 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%	32.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	4.6%±3.1Highest VT: 7%
	Kirby 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±$31kHighest 15% below VT	$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT
	Plainfield and Kirby 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	$302,900±$63kLowest 4% below VT
	Plainfield and Kirby 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	$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average
	Kirby 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	$4,597Lowest 9% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Kirby 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%	21.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	93.5%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	34 minHighest 43% above VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Kirby 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.