Compare towns
Brookfield vs Old Bennington vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Bennington has the highest household income ($169k).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k 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 | Old Bennington | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
182Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Chelsea 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% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old 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% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chelsea 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±$23k 21% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
| Old Bennington 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±$15k 7% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Brookfield 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 |
$1,063±$1k 14% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
| Chelsea and Old Bennington 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 |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Old Bennington 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 minLowest 20% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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.