Compare towns
Windham vs Brookfield vs Williston vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Windham | Brookfield | Williston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,486 |
10,144Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.