Compare towns

Brookfield vs Castleton vs Windham vs Elmore

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 (+16.4%).

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.

MeasureBrookfieldCastletonWindhamElmore
People
Population
1,486
4,453
16,038Highest
964Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
-5.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
47±5.9Highest
21% above U.S.
38.3±4.3Lowest
about the U.S. average
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
45±3.5
16% above U.S.
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
U.S.: 22%
18.8%±6.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±9.5
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.7%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.6
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
14.6%±2.6Lowest
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%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
47.8%
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%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$98,500±$23k
22% above U.S.
$73,854±$23kLowest
9% below U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$98,750±$24k
22% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$339,300±$15k
about the U.S. average
$224,800±$71kLowest
32% below U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$315,800±$47k
5% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$975±$306Lowest
31% below U.S.
$1,137±$195
20% below U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$1,225±$263
13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,560
46% above U.S.
$3,167Lowest
about the U.S. average
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,066
62% 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%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
31.8%±65.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Castleton and Windham 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%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
79%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1974Lowest
6 yrs older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
37 minHighest
38% above U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
27.3%±10.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.2%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
9.4%±4.3
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 #13 of 120 in NH —
School district Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 Windham School District Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90
High school in town None in town None in town Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.8
—
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.