Compare towns
Worcester vs Orange 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%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Orange | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
957 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Orange and Plainfield 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% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kHighest 9% below VT |
$71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Worcester and Orange 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 |
$222,000±$22kLowest 30% 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±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Orange and Plainfield 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 |
$3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
7.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.