Compare towns
Worcester vs Barnard vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Worcester | Barnard | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,211 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Barnard and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Barnard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.