Compare towns
Sheldon vs Plainfield vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Sheldon | Plainfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267Highest |
1,314 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Plainfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Sheldon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.