Compare towns
Worcester vs St. Albans vs Plainfield vs Montgomery
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%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | St. Albans | Plainfield | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
6,954Highest |
1,314 |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
| Montgomery 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Plainfield 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Montgomery 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 |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the VT average |
| Montgomery 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 |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
| Plainfield and St. Albans 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 |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
15.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.