Compare towns
Wallingford vs Middlesex vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Wallingford | Middlesex | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,286Highest |
1,943 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Wallingford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,900±$44kLowest 17% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±13.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.