What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brownington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

Strafford has the most people working from home (16.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brownington	Strafford
People
Population	1,144Lowest	1,372Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	40.5±4.5Lowest 6% below VT	51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9%	23%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brownington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.7%±2Lowest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	53.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.5Lowest VT: 7%	5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7%
	Strafford and Brownington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,556±$17kLowest 7% below VT	$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT
	Strafford and Brownington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$193,800±$40kLowest 39% below VT	$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$745±$504Lowest 40% below VT	$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT
	Strafford and Brownington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,912Lowest 22% below VT	$7,149Highest 42% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	78.5%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Brownington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	21.5%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81%Lowest VT: 73.2%	88.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT	1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 41% above VT	23 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	6%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
School district	Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District	Strafford School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.