Compare towns

Plainfield vs Whitingham vs Dummerston vs Marshfield

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).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k median).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldWhitinghamDummerstonMarshfield
People
Population
1,314Lowest
1,368
2,090Highest
1,863
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.6%
VT: +2.8%
-1%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+0.1%Highest
VT: +2.8%
-0.3%
VT: +2.8%
Median age
48.1±5.5Highest
12% above VT
46.4±7.1
8% above VT
45.6±11.7
6% above VT
38.7±6.1Lowest
10% below VT
Plainfield and Whitingham 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%
19.8%±4.5
VT: 17.9%
21.7%±6
VT: 17.9%
24.2%±2.9Highest
VT: 17.9%
Marshfield and Dummerston 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%
31.1%±2.3Highest
VT: 21.4%
24.3%±3
VT: 21.4%
17.8%±2.1Lowest
VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
48.2%
VT: 43.8%
32.8%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
58.7%Highest
VT: 43.8%
38.5%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.1%±1.3
VT: 7%
2.2%±1.9
VT: 7%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
2.7%±1.4Highest
VT: 7%
Marshfield and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,250±$31k
15% below VT
$70,625±$11k
13% below VT
$101,696±$21kHighest
25% above VT
$60,313±$10kLowest
26% below VT
Dummerston and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$318,400±$34k
about the VT average
$262,300±$30k
17% below VT
$335,300±$22kHighest
6% above VT
$214,100±$37kLowest
32% below VT
Dummerston and Plainfield 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
$673±$150Lowest
45% below VT
$1,392±$126Highest
13% above VT
$1,317±$126
7% above VT
Dummerston and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,806
5% below VT
$5,055Highest
about the VT average
$4,536
10% below VT
$3,668Lowest
27% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
73.2%±53.9Highest
VT: 48.4%
62.7%±47.3
VT: 48.4%
44.1%±32.2Lowest
VT: 48.4%
65.7%±73.8
VT: 48.4%
Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.6%
VT: 10.1%
15.5%Highest
VT: 10.1%
4.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
9.2%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.9%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
85.2%
VT: 73.2%
92.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
84.7%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
21 yrs older than VT
1974Highest
2 yrs older than VT
1971
5 yrs older than VT
1972
4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
about the VT average
38 minHighest
62% above VT
21 minLowest
11% below VT
29 min
23% above VT
Work from home
16.4%±4.4
VT: 16.9%
9.7%±5.2Lowest
VT: 16.9%
25.9%±10.3Highest
VT: 16.9%
24.5%±7.5
VT: 16.9%
Dummerston and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Twin Valley Unified School District #75 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 —
High school in town — Twin Valley Middle High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school —
7.8
— —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.