Compare towns
Windsor vs Bennington vs Plainfield vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Windsor | Bennington | Plainfield | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,554 |
15,249Highest |
2,522 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209 67% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Bennington 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Plainfield School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.