Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sheldon vs Wallingford
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 people working from home (16.4%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Sheldon | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
2,267 |
2,286Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
| Plainfield and Wallingford 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Wallingford 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wallingford and Plainfield 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Plainfield and Sheldon 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 |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$80,230±$15kHighest about the VT average |
| Wallingford and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$261,900±$44kLowest 17% below VT |
| Plainfield and Sheldon 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Sheldon and Plainfield 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,355 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Wallingford 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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.