Compare towns
Brighton vs Ogunquit vs Windsor vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Windsor has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Brighton | Ogunquit | Windsor | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,167 |
1,379 |
3,554Highest |
936Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3 50% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11k 35% below U.S. |
$49,286±$17k 39% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,026±$89Highest 27% below U.S. |
$979±$444 31% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,750 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Brighton School District | — | — | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.