Compare towns
Brookfield vs Springfield vs Chelsea
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%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Springfield | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
9,084Highest |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
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%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest 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±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
| Brookfield and Springfield 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 |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$260,900±$39k 18% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
| Chelsea and Brookfield 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 |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Springfield 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Springfield 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— |
| 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.