Compare towns
Windham vs Springfield vs Plainfield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Windham | Springfield | Plainfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
9,084Highest |
1,314 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Plainfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Springfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Springfield High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.