Compare towns
Barnet vs Brookfield vs Sharon vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Wallingford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Barnet | Brookfield | Sharon | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855 |
1,486Lowest |
1,577 |
2,286Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
| Barnet and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
| Sharon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 21% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Sharon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 11% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sharon School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.