Compare towns
Brookfield vs Chester vs Putney
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%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Chester | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
2,992Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Chester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Putney 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
| 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 |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% 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±$306Highest 21% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Brookfield and Chester 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 |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Brookfield 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.