Compare towns
Brookfield vs Reading vs Tunbridge vs Elmore
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%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Elmore has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Reading | Tunbridge | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
699Lowest |
1,253 |
964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
42.7±8.3Lowest about the VT average |
45±3.5 4% above VT |
| Reading and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.4%±9.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Elmore and Tunbridge 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% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Reading 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% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
42.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Tunbridge 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 |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above VT |
| Elmore 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$315,300±$23kLowest about the VT average |
$315,800±$47k about the VT average |
| Reading 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 |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
$1,225±$263 about the VT average |
| Tunbridge and Elmore 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 |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
$5,066 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Reading 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% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
29 minLowest 25% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.