Compare towns
Brookfield vs Chelsea vs Dover
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 highest household income ($99k).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Chelsea | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,223Lowest |
1,466 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
| Chelsea and Dover 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% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest 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% |
29.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Dover 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% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield 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 |
$65,913±$13k 19% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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 |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
| Brookfield and Dover 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 |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea 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 VT: 10.1% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.