Compare towns
Brookline vs Shelburne vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Brookline | Shelburne | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
7,969 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16k 44% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,442±$589Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #8 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Brookline School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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.