Compare towns
Waltham vs Brookfield vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Grafton has the shortest commute (24 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 | Waltham | Brookfield | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,486Highest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
59.2±4.4 37% above VT |
| Waltham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$76,111±$7kLowest 6% below VT |
| Brookfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
| Grafton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113 11% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
| Grafton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Highest 13% above VT |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,843 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Waltham 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 | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | — | None 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.