Compare towns
Brookfield vs Waltham vs Braintree
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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Waltham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
452Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
58.4±2.4 35% above VT |
| Waltham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield and Waltham 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 |
$97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Waltham 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 |
$329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Brookfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,096±$113Highest 11% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Waltham 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 |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree 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% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Waltham 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 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.