Compare towns
Ryegate vs Northfield vs Brownington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Brownington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Ryegate | Northfield | Brownington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,059Lowest |
5,920Highest |
1,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6Highest 4% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
40.5±4.5 6% below VT |
| Ryegate and Brownington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brownington and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
5%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$75,556±$17kHighest 7% below VT |
| Brownington and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$193,800±$40kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236 26% below VT |
$1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
$745±$504Lowest 40% below VT |
| Northfield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,912 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
78.5%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brownington and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.5% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
21.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield and Ryegate 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 | — |
| School district | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District |
| High school in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.