The Town FilesPlainfield, Vermont
Town in Washington County · population 1,236 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $318,400
- Household income
- $69,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 104 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 48.1
Plainfield is a town of 1,236 people in Washington County, Vermont. The median home is worth $318,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Vermont towns, hipper than 82% of Vermont towns, better transit than 75% of Vermont towns.
How Plainfield ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plainfield is worth $318,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $69,250, which is more affordable than 17% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,153 a month. 80.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plainfield | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,400 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,153 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $69,250 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 80.9% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Plainfield
| People | Plainfield | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.2% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 89.3% |
Weather in Plainfield
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 2.6°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 104.0 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Plainfield since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 9, 2009 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| March 20, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4695: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 33,484 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,784 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Plainfield itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Plainfield
2 public schools with 403 students, about 8.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twinfield Union School | PK-12 | 311 | 8.0 |
| Calais Elementary School | PK-6 | 92 | 9.2 |
Towns near Plainfield
- Marshfield, VT4.6 mi · 1,583 people · home $214,100
- East Montpelier, VT5.4 mi · 2,598 people · home $378,700
- Barre, VT5.6 mi · 7,923 people · home $281,400
- Barre, VT5.8 mi · 8,491 people · home $210,400
- Orange, VT6.9 mi · 1,048 people · home $222,000
- Websterville, VT7.2 mi · 570 people · home $171,700
- East Barre, VT7.4 mi · 811 people · home $195,700
- South Barre, VT7.6 mi · 1,193 people · home $257,600
Plainfield questions
Is Plainfield, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plainfield scores better for retirees than 65% of Vermont towns and quieter than 44%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Plainfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Plainfield is valued at $318,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,250, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,153 a month.
What is the weather like in Plainfield?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 2.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 104.0 inches of snow.
Does Plainfield get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Plainfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 9, 2009. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)