Compare towns
Plainfield vs Shelburne vs Stowe
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 most affordable homes ($318k median).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Shelburne | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
7,969Highest |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT |
46.3±7.6Lowest 7% above VT |
| Shelburne 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% |
20.2%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Shelburne 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% |
29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
66.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
4.7%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Shelburne 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 |
$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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 |
$588,100±$44k 86% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Stowe and Shelburne 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 |
$1,442±$589 17% above VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Stowe and Shelburne 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 |
$8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$7,161 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.7%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Shelburne 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% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
69.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 14% below VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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 | — | #8 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.