Compare towns
Brookfield vs Groton vs Sharon
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
967Lowest |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
45.7±5.8 6% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Groton 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% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon 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% |
20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.5%±5.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Groton 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±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$77,250±$14kLowest 5% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Brookfield and Sharon 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 |
$243,000±$70kLowest 23% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Brookfield 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 |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon 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 |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Brookfield and Sharon 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% |
6.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 min 29% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Sharon 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.