Compare towns
Worcester vs Bristol vs Windham 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%).
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Bristol | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
3,778Highest |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Bristol 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% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Bristol 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 |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Windham and Bristol 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 |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Windham and Bristol 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 |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
— | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bristol 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% |
10.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.