What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waitsfield has the most expensive homes ($453k median).

Braintree has the most kids (12.3% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Waitsfield	Braintree
People
Population	193Lowest	1,026Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.1% VT: +2.8%
Median age	74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT	58.4±2.4Lowest 35% above VT
Kids under 18	0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	12.3%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Braintree and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4%	33.2%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Waitsfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT	$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT	$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$840±$405 32% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,688Highest 7% below VT	$3,908Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Braintree and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	81%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 40% below VT	26 minHighest 11% above VT
Work from home	31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9%	19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Waitsfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	6 photos →	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.