Compare towns
Brookfield vs North Bennington vs Royalton
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%).
North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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 | North Bennington | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,336Lowest |
2,752Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
43.9±10Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and North Bennington 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% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Brookfield 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% |
41.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton 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±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$313,000±$40k about the VT average |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
| Brookfield and North Bennington 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 |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
| North Bennington and Royalton 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 |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Royalton 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% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Royalton 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 | — | — | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.