Compare towns
Northfield vs Brookfield vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Northfield | Brookfield | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920 |
1,486Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Brookfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Williston 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.