Compare towns
Plainfield vs Middlebury 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 oldest population (median age 48.1).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Marshfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
38.7±6.1 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and Marshfield 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% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury 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% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% above VT |
| Marshfield and Middlebury 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 |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| 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.