Compare towns
Walden vs Plainfield vs Windham
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 most affordable homes ($239k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037 |
1,314Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Walden and Plainfield 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Plainfield 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±$103Highest 7% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — | — |
| 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.


