Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Middlesex 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Windham | Middlesex | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
594Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Marshfield 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±$12k 16% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham 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±$20k 12% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
— | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,317±$126 7% above VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.