Compare towns
Waterville vs Fairfield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Waterville | Fairfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680 |
1,938Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Waterville and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookline and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Fairfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| 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.