Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Reading vs Groton
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Groton has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Reading | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314Highest |
594Lowest |
699 |
967 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
45.7±5.8 6% above VT |
| Reading 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%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.3%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Windham 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%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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% VT: 43.8% |
38.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
7.5%±5.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Groton and Reading 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 |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$77,250±$14k 5% below VT |
| Windham and Reading 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$243,000±$70kLowest 23% below VT |
| Reading and Windham 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 |
— | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$288±$151Lowest 77% below VT |
| Plainfield and Reading 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 |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$3,659Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Reading 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% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
6.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
30 min 29% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| 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.