Compare towns
Plainfield vs Worcester vs Strafford vs Montgomery
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 housing (typical home built 1955).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
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 | Strafford | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
831Lowest |
1,372Highest |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
| Montgomery and Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Strafford 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 |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
| Strafford and Worcester 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 |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
| Plainfield and Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
29 min 22% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | Strafford School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.