Compare towns
Unity vs Brookfield vs Jefferson vs Stoddard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Unity | Brookfield | Jefferson | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,375 |
1,486Highest |
1,013Lowest |
1,072 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
58±3.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
53±4 36% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±9.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoddard and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$67,188±$13kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$94,904±$11k 18% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$296,700±$92k 11% below U.S. |
$330,300±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$867±$156Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$895±$751 37% below U.S. |
| Unity and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,196Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,316 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoddard and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
34 minLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Unity School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Stoddard School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | None yet | 20 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.