Compare towns
Brookfield vs Williston vs Windham 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%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Windham | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
10,144 |
19,188Highest |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 22% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467 8% above U.S. |
| 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 46% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 14 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.