Compare towns
Brookfield vs Highgate vs Grand Isle
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%).
Highgate has the most affordable homes ($281k median).
Grand Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).
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 | Highgate | Grand Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
3,528Highest |
2,192 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
43.3±2.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Grand Isle 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% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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 |
$81,017±$14kLowest about the VT average |
$100,846±$22kHighest 24% above VT |
| Grand Isle 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 |
$280,500±$21kLowest 11% below VT |
$398,600±$33kHighest 26% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,363±$530Highest 10% above VT |
| Grand Isle 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 |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,453Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
50.8%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grand Isle and Highgate 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% |
8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
31 minLowest 32% above VT |
32 min 36% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.3%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Grand Isle 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.