Compare towns
Braintree vs Rochester 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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Rochester | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,389 |
1,486Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Rochester 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% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% 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±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Brookfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
| Brookfield and Rochester 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 |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None 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.