Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Plainfield’s best subject grades are an A− for health, an A+ for history, and an A for civic life; its weakest is a C for incomes. Among 72 Vermont towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Plainfield. Plainfield's schools outperform 71% of the state's. Among 72 Vermont towns, just 4 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Plainfield. Its National Register listings include Plainfield Village Historic District and Allenwood Farm. Plainfield has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Plainfield beats most towns.
Plainfield Village Historic DistrictIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Vermont), ordered by how far Plainfield is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plainfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Plainfield.
Plainfield beats the Vermont average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 26% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Plainfield, below both Vermont’s towns (30%) and U.S. towns (36%). 28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Plainfield.
| Plainfield | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 30% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Plainfield | VT |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 10.8% | 9.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.6% | 5.7% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 7.3% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Plainfield for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Plainfield has lost 349 jobs, to 309 in 2023. At $69,000, Plainfield’s median household income is below both the Vermont town median ($80,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000).
| Plainfield | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 16% | 15% | 11% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $80,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Plainfield has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in Plainfield is 7°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Adults 35 to 64 are 47% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). 48% of Plainfield adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Plainfield | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 years | 43.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 48% | 40% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 16% | 19% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 22% | 18% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.3 points. Across Vermont, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Plainfield | VT | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10% | 9.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.3% | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.5% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.4% | 11.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.1% | 14.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.2% | 13% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.9% | 8.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.9% | 5.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.5% | 26.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.9% | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.6% | 8.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.8% | 25.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 24.3% | 18.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,200, single groups can be off by several points
3.7 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Among 72 Vermont towns, just 4 have a lower trail density than Plainfield. L.R. Jones State Forest, at 617 acres with 1.3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. L.R. Jones State Forest | 1.3 mi | 617 |
| 2. Groton State Forest | 0.5 mi | 343 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical Plainfield home is worth about $350,000, about the same as a year ago, 11% below the Vermont typical home.
| Plainfield | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,153 a month | $1,135 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 22 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Plainfield.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3 within 15 miles of the center of Plainfield
About 2 of every 100 Plainfield residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Vermont.
Where Plainfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
4 places in Plainfield on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Vermont, United States
Plainfield, a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States was incorporated in 1867. The population was 1,236 at the 2020 census. Plainfield was the location of Goddard College.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($83,449 across the Barre, VT area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
