Compare towns
Worcester vs Cavendish 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%).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Cavendish | Windham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
1,242 |
594Lowest |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest 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% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Windham 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% |
23.6%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Cavendish and Windham 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% |
39.3%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% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Cavendish 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 |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Windham and Cavendish 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 |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Windham and Plainfield 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 |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% 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 |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 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 | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.