Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Jay
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 highest household income ($95k).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Highest |
594 |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
| Jay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest 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%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Plainfield and Jay 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% 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±$103 7% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.