Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Castleton vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Brookfield | Castleton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,486 |
4,453 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.