Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dummerston vs Westford
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%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Dummerston | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
2,090 |
2,290Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
44.1±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
52.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Westford 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±$23kLowest 21% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$112,750±$12kHighest 39% above VT |
| Westford and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford and Dummerston 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 |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dummerston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
33 min 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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.