Compare towns
Fletcher vs Brookfield vs Walden vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Fletcher | Brookfield | Walden | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
1,486Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Walden and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Brookfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,443±$984 17% above VT |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965Highest about the VT average |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fletcher School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.