Compare towns
Whitingham vs Plainfield vs Halifax vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Leicester has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Whitingham | Plainfield | Halifax | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,368Highest |
1,314 |
847Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
48.8±3.8Highest 13% above VT |
| Leicester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
35.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Whitingham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
| Whitingham and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$309,700±$107k about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
$1,098±$300 11% below VT |
| Plainfield and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,991 about the VT average |
$3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 62% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 min 38% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — | Halifax School District | — |
| High school in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.