Compare towns
Plainfield vs Mendon vs Montgomery vs Brookfield
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 affordable homes ($318k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Mendon | Montgomery | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
1,113 |
1,047Lowest |
1,486Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
| Mendon and Montgomery 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Brookfield 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% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
| Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Mendon and Brookfield 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
37 min 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | — | None 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.