Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ryegate vs Wolcott vs Brookfield
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Ryegate | Wolcott | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
1,059Lowest |
1,507Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Wolcott 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% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ryegate 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% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Wolcott and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Wolcott 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 |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Plainfield and Wolcott 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 |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$3,930 22% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Plainfield 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% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Wolcott School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.