Compare towns
Whiting vs Plainfield vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Whiting | Plainfield | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
1,314Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Plainfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Whiting and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Plainfield and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
| Whiting and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | — |
| 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.