Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windham vs Stowe 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 oldest population (median age 48.1).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
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 | Stowe | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
594Lowest |
5,285Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +21.1%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 |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%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% |
1.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Marshfield 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 |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Windham and Stowe 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
— | $1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,317±$126 7% above VT |
| Stowe 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 |
$7,161Highest 42% 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% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
9.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Stowe Town School District | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Stowe High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.