Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Colchester vs Elmore
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%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Colchester has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Castleton | Colchester | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453 |
17,648Highest |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
39.3±1.4 9% below VT |
45±3.5 4% above VT |
| Brookfield and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
23.4%±9.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Elmore and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Castleton 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
47.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above VT |
| Elmore 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 |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$315,800±$47k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,225±$263 about the VT average |
| Colchester and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,471Highest 9% above VT |
$5,066 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Colchester 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 15% below VT |
29 min 25% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Colchester 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #18 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Colchester School District | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Colchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.