Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Windham 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Windham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453 |
19,188Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%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 |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
44.2% 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% |
3.9%±1.1 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. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Windham 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. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% 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. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Windham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,938 26% 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% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Braintree 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% |
3.4%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% |
84.6% 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. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
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% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 14 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.