Compare towns
Braintree vs Barre vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($339k 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 | Braintree | Barre | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
8,412Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.