Compare towns
Vergennes vs Plainfield vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vergennes has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Vergennes | Plainfield | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,565 |
1,314Lowest |
3,778Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±2.1Lowest 8% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
| Plainfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bristol and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,587±$13kHighest 6% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
| Vergennes and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,000±$24kLowest about the VT average |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$267Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,578 11% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±17.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bristol 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 9% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 16%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Plainfield 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 | #22 of 70 in VT | — | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | Vergennes Union High School | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.