What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).

Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Stratton
People
Population	1,314Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT
Kids under 18	16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Stratton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4%	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest VT: 7%	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%
	Plainfield and Stratton 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	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT
	Stratton and Plainfield 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	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT
	Stratton and Plainfield 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	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average
	Stratton 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	$4,750Lowest 6% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Stratton 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%	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	33 minHighest 39% above VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9%	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.