Compare towns
Sheffield vs Braintree vs Ryegate
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 affordable homes ($172k median).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Sheffield | Braintree | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Lowest |
1,026 |
1,059Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8 about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
| Braintree and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$219,300±$32kHighest 31% below VT |
| Ryegate and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
| Sheffield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
$3,472 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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.