Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Middleton vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Brookfield | Castleton | Middleton | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
4,453 |
1,595 |
6,571Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
57±1.8 47% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Middleton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$101,696±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$312,300±$27k 6% below U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Middleton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,504 76% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Middleton 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Middleton School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.