Compare towns
Brookfield vs Williston vs Braintree vs Plainfield
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%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Williston | Braintree | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
10,144Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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±$23k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.