Compare towns
Brookfield vs Halifax vs Chelsea
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 highest household income ($99k).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Chelsea has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Halifax | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
847Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Chelsea 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% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chelsea 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 |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$65,913±$13k 19% below VT |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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 |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
| Chelsea 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 |
$4,991Highest about the VT average |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Halifax 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
33 min 38% above VT |
30 minLowest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Brookfield 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 | Halifax School District | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.