Compare towns
Brookfield vs Fair Haven vs Williston vs Braintree
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%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Fair Haven | Williston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
2,724 |
10,144Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Fair Haven 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree 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% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Williston 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 |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Williston 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.