What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (80.9%).

Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).

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	Royalton
People
Population	1,314Lowest	2,752Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT	43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average
	Plainfield and Royalton 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%	14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Royalton 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%	22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4%
	Royalton 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%Highest VT: 43.8%	42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	8%±4.2Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT	$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT
	Royalton 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±$34kHighest about the VT average	$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT
	Plainfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT	$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT
	Plainfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,806Highest 5% below VT	$4,675Lowest 7% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	13%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1965Highest 11 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	20 minLowest 13% below VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Royalton and Plainfield 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	—	#48 of 70 in VT
School district	—	White River Unified School District #79
High school in town	—	White River Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.