What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% 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	Ryegate
People
Population	567Lowest	1,059Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	22.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookfield and Ryegate 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	$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S.
	Brookfield and Ryegate 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.	$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$908±$236 36% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,926Highest 90% above U.S.	$3,472Lowest 11% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 3% above U.S.	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	13.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookfield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.