What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).

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	Panton
People
Population	1,314Highest	690Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8%	-4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT	42.7±3.8Lowest about the VT average
	Plainfield and Panton 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%	24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Panton and Plainfield 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%	16.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Plainfield and Panton 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%	35.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	2.3%±1.3Highest VT: 7%
	Panton 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±$31kLowest 15% below VT	$86,667±$10kHighest 7% above VT
	Panton 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±$34kLowest about the VT average	$438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT	$1,410±$130Highest 14% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,806Lowest 5% below VT	$6,695Highest 33% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	61%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Panton 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%	3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	83.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	26 minHighest 11% above VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Panton 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.