Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Plainfield vs Kirby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($69k).
Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Plainfield | Kirby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368Highest |
1,314 |
756Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9k 29% below VT |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
| Plainfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$302,900±$63k 4% below VT |
| Plainfield and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
| Kirby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,597 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Kirby and St. Johnsbury 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| 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.