Compare towns
Braintree vs Williston vs Windham vs Brookfield
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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Braintree | Williston | Windham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
10,144 |
19,188Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Windham 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Windham and Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 14 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.