Compare towns
Bethel vs Brookline vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Bethel | Brookline | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
531Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Bethel and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— |
| Brookline and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168 about the VT average |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | — | — |
| High school 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.