Compare towns
Sheffield vs Brookline vs Marshfield
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).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
Marshfield has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Brookline | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Highest |
531 |
470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42±8Lowest about the VT average |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookline and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield 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 |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
| Marshfield and Brookline 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 |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,125±$79 9% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,269 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
29 min 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.