Compare towns
Brookfield vs Highgate vs Vernon
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).
Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
3,528Highest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
42.6±5.4Lowest 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%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Vernon 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% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Vernon 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 |
$81,017±$14kLowest about the VT average |
$85,682±$9k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Vernon 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 |
$280,500±$21kLowest 11% below VT |
$285,100±$25k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,023±$214Highest 17% below VT |
| Vernon 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 |
$5,191Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Highgate and Brookfield 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% |
8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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 | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Vernon School District |
| 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.