Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlebury vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150Lowest |
7,220Highest |
2,344 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1 6% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
41.8±7Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Harmony and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9k 14% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$58,600±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$28k 54% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75 31% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
$788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197 about the U.S. average |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
$2,805Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.