Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Brattleboro
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 oldest population (median age 48.1).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
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 | Windham | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314 |
594Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Windham 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro 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±$31k 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Windham 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±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
| Windham 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 |
— | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro 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% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | — | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| 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.

