Compare towns
Walden vs Plainfield vs Cabot vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($223k median).
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 | Walden | Plainfield | Cabot | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037 |
1,314 |
1,579Highest |
999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.7% VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$268,500±$77k 15% below VT |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
| Plainfield and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
| Cabot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,639 8% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 min 27% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — | — | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school 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.