Compare towns
Worcester vs Braintree 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%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Braintree | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,026 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Braintree 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±$27k 14% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 12% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Braintree 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| 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.