Compare towns
Brookfield vs Calais 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%).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Calais | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,713Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kLowest 21% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest 7% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais 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 |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
— |
| Calais and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.