What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Fair Haven has the most kids (19.4% 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.

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

Measure	Brookfield	Fair Haven
People
Population	567Lowest	2,724Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookfield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,406±$31kHighest about the U.S. average	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S.
	Brookfield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S.	$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$830±$116 41% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,926Highest 90% above U.S.	$3,865Lowest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 3% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	13.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	—	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
On TownTapestry
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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.