Compare towns
Benson vs Bridgewater vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benson has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Benson | Bridgewater | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 784Lowest |
980 |
1,486Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,625±$8k 3% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$170Highest 10% below VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Benson and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,125 18% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 35% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.