Compare towns
Plainfield vs Randolph vs Williston 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).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k median).
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 | Randolph | Williston | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
4,843 |
10,144Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and Williston 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% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Plainfield 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% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,317±$126 7% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 5% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 min 12% below VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Williston 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 | — | #55 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | — | Randolph Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— | — |
| 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.