Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sharon vs Calais
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Sharon | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,577 |
1,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Sharon 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% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Calais 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Calais 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 12% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Sharon School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.