Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sheldon vs Waterville
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%).
Sheldon has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Sheldon | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
2,267Highest |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Waterville 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville 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±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sheldon 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sheldon 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Sheldon and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| 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 |
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.