Compare towns
Brookfield vs Windsor 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
Brookfield has the highest household income ($69k).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Columbus has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Windsor | Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150 |
3,554Highest |
849Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.6±11.8 12% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Columbus 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% |
19.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbus and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$58,889±$11k 27% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Columbus 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. |
$207,500±$31kHighest 38% below U.S. |
$124,700±$36kLowest 63% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$1,500±$635Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Columbus and Windsor 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 |
$5,209Highest 67% 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% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±16.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbus 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 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.