Compare towns
Brookline vs Freedom vs Hyde Park
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 most people working from home (20.6%).
Freedom has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Brookline | Freedom | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531 |
1,494Highest |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$389,000±$43kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
— | $1,306±$285Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$3,478Lowest 12% above U.S. |
$3,893 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freedom and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Freedom 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 | — | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Freedom School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.