Compare towns
Swanton vs Brookline vs Richford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Richford has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
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 | Swanton | Brookline | Richford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,670Highest |
531Lowest |
2,467 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
39±3.6 10% below VT |
| Brookline and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.4%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Richford and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
20.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.4%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Richford and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
$56,853±$13kLowest 30% below VT |
| Brookline and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$176,600±$16kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,160±$66Lowest 6% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370 13% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,300Lowest 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
55.1%±15.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Richford and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 9% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.8%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | — | — | Richford Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.1 |
| 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.