Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Putney vs Chelsea
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).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Putney | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453Highest |
2,622 |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
| Chelsea 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$260,900±$39k 18% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
| Chelsea and Castleton 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,762 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Chelsea 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.