Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlebury vs Columbus
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 (+7.7%).
Columbus has the most affordable homes ($125k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150 |
9,175Highest |
849Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1 6% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
43.6±11.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Columbus and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9k 14% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$58,889±$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. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$124,700±$36kLowest 63% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,500±$635Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Columbus and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197 about the U.S. average |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,071Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±92.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Columbus 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±16.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbus and Middlebury 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 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.