Compare towns
Brookfield vs Groton vs Peacham
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%).
Groton has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Peacham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.3%).
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 | Groton | Peacham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
967 |
887Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.7±5.8Lowest 6% above VT |
50.1±5.7Highest 16% above VT |
| Peacham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.3%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Peacham 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% |
20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.6%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Peacham 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% |
38.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±5.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.4%±4 VT: 7% |
| Groton and Peacham 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 |
$77,250±$14kLowest 5% below VT |
$90,000±$28k 11% above VT |
| Brookfield and Peacham 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 |
$243,000±$70kLowest 23% below VT |
$302,000±$64k 5% below VT |
| Brookfield and Peacham 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 |
$288±$151Lowest 77% below VT |
$1,028±$248Highest 17% below VT |
| Peacham 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 |
$3,659Lowest 27% below VT |
$5,605Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Peacham 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% |
6.8% VT: 10.1% |
10.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 minLowest 29% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.2%±16.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Peacham 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 | — | Peacham School District |
| High school 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.