Compare towns
Worcester vs Brookfield vs Sheldon vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Worcester | Brookfield | Sheldon | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,486 |
2,267 |
5,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
| Brookfield and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Stowe and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 12% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Brookfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.