Compare towns
Plainfield vs Salisbury vs Hancock 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
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 | Salisbury | Hancock | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
1,200 |
435Lowest |
1,486Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Salisbury and Plainfield 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Hancock 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Brookfield 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% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Hancock 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±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
| Salisbury and Brookfield 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 |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% 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±$103 7% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Salisbury 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | 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.