Compare towns
Plainfield vs Middlebury vs Worcester
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 kids (16.3% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314 |
9,175Highest |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Middlebury 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury 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% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.