Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Eliot vs Braintree
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Eliot | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453 |
7,146Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Eliot 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 about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% 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% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.