Compare towns
Brookfield vs Bridgewater vs Benson
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%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Benson has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Bridgewater | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
980 |
784Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
| Bridgewater 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% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2 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% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater 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% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Bridgewater 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 |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$78,625±$8k 3% below VT |
| Brookfield and Benson 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 |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,113±$170Highest 10% 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 |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Benson 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
32 min 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Benson 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 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.