Compare towns
Brookfield vs Stowe vs Williston vs Worcester
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%).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Stowe | Williston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Williston 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 |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Stowe and Williston 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 |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Brookfield 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Stowe 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 | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.