Compare towns
Brookfield vs Jay vs Ira
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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Ira has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Jay | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
471 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Jay 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ira 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% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Ira 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
— | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Jay and Ira 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
28 minLowest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school 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.