Compare towns
Lincoln vs Middlebury vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lincoln has the most homeowners (88.1%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Lincoln | Middlebury | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,394Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.7±3.6 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,667±$18k 19% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,200±$30k 15% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$339,300±$15kLowest 7% above VT |
| Middlebury and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $870±$47Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Middlebury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,100 21% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.1%±25.5 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Lincoln Town School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.