Compare towns
Plainfield vs Worcester vs Hardwick vs Guilford
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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Guilford has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Worcester | Hardwick | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
831Lowest |
2,965Highest |
2,461 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
46.7±5.2Lowest 8% above VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Guilford 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Hardwick 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% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Guilford 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 |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$75,243±$6k 7% below VT |
| Hardwick and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$312,600±$39k about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Guilford 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 |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
| Guilford and Plainfield 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 |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,827Highest 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
29 min 22% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Guilford 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 | — | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.