Compare towns

Brookfield vs Castleton vs Dover

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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.

MeasureBrookfieldCastletonDover
People
Population
1,486Lowest
4,453
33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
-5.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
47±5.9Highest
21% above U.S.
38.3±4.3
about the U.S. average
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.8%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.8%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
29.7%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.6
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
37.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
19.3%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$98,500±$23kHighest
22% above U.S.
$73,854±$23kLowest
9% below U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
Brookfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$339,300±$15k
about the U.S. average
$224,800±$71kLowest
32% below U.S.
$436,700±$20kHighest
31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$975±$306Lowest
31% below U.S.
$1,137±$195
20% below U.S.
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,560
46% above U.S.
$3,167Lowest
about the U.S. average
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
30.4%±27.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
67.7%±21.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Castleton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1974Lowest
6 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
37 minHighest
38% above U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
Work from home
27.3%±10.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.2%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookfield and Dover 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 #64 of 120 in NH
School district Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 Dover School District
High school in town None in town None in town Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.