Compare towns
Brookfield vs Brookline vs Plainfield vs Ripton
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%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Brookline | Plainfield | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
531 |
1,314 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Plainfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Brookfield 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% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ripton 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% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Brookline 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 | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.