Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sunapee vs Williston vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Sunapee | Williston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
3,416 |
10,144Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Sunapee 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 22% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sunapee School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.