Compare towns
Brookfield vs Jay vs Northfield
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).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Northfield has the shortest commute (27 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 | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
471Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Jay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Northfield 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 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 |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
— | $1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
| Northfield 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Jay 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.