Compare towns
Brookfield vs Surry vs Chelsea
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%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k 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 | Surry | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,052Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1Highest 39% above U.S. |
| 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%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Chelsea 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. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Surry 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±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,524±$467 8% above U.S. |
| Surry and Chelsea 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. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Surry 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% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.