Compare towns
Windsor vs Surry vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Windsor | Surry | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060Highest |
1,052Lowest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4k 37% below U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22k 49% below U.S. |
$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 29% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Surry and Brighton 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.