Compare towns
Chelsea vs Williston vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Chelsea | Williston | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,223Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest 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+ | 29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest 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 | $65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above 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 | $260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$467 24% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Williston and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 28% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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 |
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.