Compare towns
Plainfield vs Shaftsbury 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).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Shaftsbury | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
3,607Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
43±6.6Lowest 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% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Brookfield 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% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury 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% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield 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 |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury 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 |
$267,300±$24kLowest 16% 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 |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Plainfield and Shaftsbury 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 |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Shaftsbury 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% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 5% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.