Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sharon vs Williston vs Plainfield
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%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k 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 | Sharon | Williston | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,577 |
10,144Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield 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% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Williston 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% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Sharon 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Williston 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 |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Williston 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sharon School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school 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.