Compare towns
Brookfield vs Williston vs Plainfield vs Chelsea
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%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Williston | Plainfield | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
10,144Highest |
1,314 |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
| Chelsea and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,524±$467 24% above VT |
| Williston and Chelsea 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 |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Chelsea 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest 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 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.