Compare towns
Brookfield vs Benson vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Benson has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Braintree has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Benson | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
784Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Braintree and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.6% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,625±$8kLowest 3% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,113±$170Highest 10% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Benson and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Benson and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
32 min 35% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.