Compare towns
Brookfield vs Whitingham vs Wolcott 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 people working from home (27.3%).
Whitingham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Whitingham | Wolcott | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,368 |
1,507Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
42.4±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Whitingham 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% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wolcott 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 |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,059±$118Highest 14% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Wolcott 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 |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,930 22% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Whitingham 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 55% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Wolcott School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.