What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).

Sheldon has the most homeowners (89%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brighton	Sheldon
People
Population	1,167Lowest	2,267Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT	40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT
	Brighton and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.3%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Sheldon and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4%	12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7%	2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Brighton and Sheldon 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 42% below VT	$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT
	Sheldon and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT	$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT	$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,360Lowest 33% below VT	$3,578Highest 29% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55%±17Highest VT: 48.4%	0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	22%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	89%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT	1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 41% above VT	25 minLowest 7% above VT
Work from home	12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9%	13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Sheldon and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Brighton School District	Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.