Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Highgate
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Highgate has the most affordable homes ($281k 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Windham | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314 |
594Lowest |
3,528Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
44±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Highgate 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% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Highgate 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$81,017±$14k about the VT average |
| Windham and Highgate 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 |
$280,500±$21kLowest 11% 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 |
— | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
| Plainfield and Highgate 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #43 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | — | — | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| 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.