Compare towns
Middlesex vs Brookfield vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Brookfield has the most renters (12.1% rent).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k 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 | Middlesex | Brookfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
1,486 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Middlesex and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
| Middlesex and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Middlesex and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Brookfield 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% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| 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.