Compare towns

Plainfield vs Strafford vs Addison 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 most renters (19.1% rent).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Addison has the oldest population (median age 53.1).
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.

MeasurePlainfieldStraffordAddisonBrookfield
People
Population
1,314
1,372
1,175Lowest
1,486Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.6%
VT: +2.8%
-0.4%Highest
VT: +2.8%
-0.4%Highest
VT: +2.8%
-3.7%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
48.1±5.5
12% above VT
51.4±4.7
19% above VT
53.1±7.6Highest
23% above VT
47±5.9Lowest
9% above VT
Addison and Strafford 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%±5.2Highest
VT: 17.9%
18.6%±5.1
VT: 17.9%
18.8%±4.1
VT: 17.9%
Strafford 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%
22.1%±3.4
VT: 21.4%
27.1%±1.9
VT: 21.4%
29.7%±6.4Highest
VT: 21.4%
Brookfield and Addison 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%
53.3%Highest
VT: 43.8%
40.2%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
45.3%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.1%±1.3Lowest
VT: 7%
5.1%±2.6
VT: 7%
5.4%±2.3Highest
VT: 7%
3.2%±2.4
VT: 7%
Addison and Strafford 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
$110,833±$19kHighest
36% above VT
$106,667±$7k
31% above VT
$98,500±$23k
21% above VT
Strafford and Addison 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
$431,300±$40kHighest
36% above VT
$362,200±$23k
14% above VT
$339,300±$15k
7% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,153±$103
7% below VT
$1,125±$789
9% below VT
$2,019±$461Highest
64% above VT
$975±$306Lowest
21% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,806
5% below VT
$7,149Highest
42% above VT
$5,831
16% above VT
$4,560Lowest
10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
73.2%±53.9Highest
VT: 48.4%
44.6%±48
VT: 48.4%
41.9%±62.8
VT: 48.4%
30.4%±27.8Lowest
VT: 48.4%
Plainfield and Strafford 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%
5.2%
VT: 10.1%
4.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
6.3%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.9%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
88.9%
VT: 73.2%
89.2%Highest
VT: 73.2%
87.9%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
21 yrs older than VT
1980Highest
4 yrs newer than VT
1980Highest
4 yrs newer than VT
1975
1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
about the VT average
23 minLowest
about the VT average
28 min
18% above VT
37 minHighest
55% above VT
Work from home
16.4%±4.4
VT: 16.9%
16.1%±4.3
VT: 16.9%
12.3%±5.4Lowest
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 — Strafford School District — 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 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.