Compare towns
Sheffield vs Northfield vs Belvidere
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most kids (34.7% under 18).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Belvidere has the highest household income ($82k).
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 | Sheffield | Northfield | Belvidere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 190Lowest |
5,920Highest |
422 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT |
36.4±4.1 16% below VT |
40.7±6.5Highest 6% below VT |
| Belvidere and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±14 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Northfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
35.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.8 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$81,563±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Belvidere and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$239,200±$51k 24% below VT |
| Northfield and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$563 about the VT average |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
| Belvidere and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,714Lowest 66% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Belvidere and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 12% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield and Belvidere 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| 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.