Compare towns
Brookfield vs Walden vs Lyman
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 the most expensive homes ($428k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Walden | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
1,037Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7 49% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
60.8±6.5Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Lyman and Brookfield 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% |
14.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walden and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$71,042±$17kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Walden and Brookfield 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. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$311,100±$66k 6% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,147±$81Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$3,981 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 56.3%±86.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyman and Walden 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.