Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlesex vs Montpelier
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 affordable homes ($339k median).
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
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 | Middlesex | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
1,943 |
8,014Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average |
| Middlesex 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±$15kLowest 7% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montpelier 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Brookfield 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 | — | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.