Compare towns
Groton vs Brookfield vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Groton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Groton | Brookfield | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 967Lowest |
1,486Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.8Lowest 6% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
| Topsham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±5.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Groton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,250±$14k 5% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
| Brookfield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$70k 23% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $288±$151Lowest 77% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
| Brookfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,659Lowest 27% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 29% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
35 min 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school 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.