Compare towns
Royalton vs Brookfield vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Royalton | Brookfield | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Highest |
1,486 |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$97,581±$19kLowest 20% above VT |
| Royalton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 7% below VT |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Royalton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Barnard 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.