What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).

Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).

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	Waltham
People
Population	1,314Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT
	Waltham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Waltham 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%	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	39%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Waltham 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	$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT
	Waltham 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	$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT
	Waltham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT	$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT
	Plainfield and Waltham 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	$5,714Highest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4%	29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Plainfield and Waltham 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%	5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waltham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.