Compare towns
Marshfield vs Jay vs Sheffield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the highest household income ($84k).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
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 | Marshfield | Jay | Sheffield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 470Lowest |
471 |
573Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Jay and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookline and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
| Brookline and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79 9% below VT |
— | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,269 35% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 24% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school 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.