Compare towns
Brookfield vs Chelsea vs Ripton
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%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,223 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Chelsea and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest 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%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton 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 7% above VT |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
— |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.