Compare towns
Sutton vs Waterville vs Brookfield vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Leicester has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Sutton | Waterville | Brookfield | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790 |
680Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-10% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7Lowest 8% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
| Waterville and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$70,417±$30kLowest 13% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$309,700±$107k about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,098±$300 11% below VT |
| Waterville and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 21% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±40.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
37 min 55% above VT |
28 minLowest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Leicester 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.