Brookfield offers a private slice of rural Vermont
Brookfield is a patchwork of farms and forests located between Randolph and Northfield. “I guess you could sort of argue there’s a teeny little town center. But really, it’s country life,” says Hannah Dawson, the broker and owner of The Real Estate Collaborative. She grew up in nearby Montpelier and has been selling homes in the area, including Brookfield, for eight years. In line with its country lifestyle, Brookfield has plenty of space but still form a tight-knit community in a New England way. “If you’re on the side of the road and you need help, or if you need help shoveling your driveway or something like that, people — even if they don’t know you — will come together and help,” Dawson says. “But people like their space. They like their peace and quiet; They like the ability to go home and have their own little slice of Vermont.”
Swimming, fishing and kayaking on Sunset Lake
People often go swimming and kayaking at Sunset Lake. The Brookfield Floating Bridge stretches across the water and is one of the last floating bridges in Vermont. Dawson calls it the town’s biggest claim to fame, drawing visitors to pass through town when the bridge is open to traffic during the warm months. But for locals, it’s something a little simpler: a favorite fishing spot. The single-lane bridge has a boardwalk on each side, providing ample space for anglers. Thanks to local tradition, fishing lures dangle from the power lines that follow the bridge across the water, giving the spot a peacefully festive air.
“There’s also Allis State Park, and that is Vermont’s second state park ever created, which is kind of cool,” Dawson says, adding that the park’s history goes back nearly a hundred years. “You can camp there. There are lots of trails. There’s a fire tower you can hike up.” At the top of the fire tower, hikers can catch views of the mountains in nearly every direction on a sunny day. Dawson also says that the neighborhood is peppered with little bodies of water open for canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
Historic and modern homes with acreage
Colonials, restored farmhouses and Cape Cods are common in Brookfield. Some homes date to as early as 1790, and many were built in the early 1800s. There are a few that were built around 1980. “Most folks buy a house that has at least an acre, if not more,” Dawson says. “There are quite a few bigger tracts of land, too. So, it’s really people who want to be out in the country, who want that peaceful country setting.” Outbuildings like barns and horse stables are common here, and some properties even have maintained hiking trails. Small cottages that need renovations can start as low as $100,000, while renovated historic houses with extensive acreage can climb to just over $600,000. Dawson notes, though, that most of the homes sold in 2024 went for less than $400,000. The town’s median sale price is about $330,000, lower than the national median. Dawson says these prices, especially when paired with the acreage that often goes with them, are another major draw
A small town center and farm stands, driving for other essentials
Brookfield’s town center sits at the edge of Sunset Lake, with a library, historic town hall, post office and the Congregational Church of Brookfield. Change is coming to the little town, though. The historic Green Trails Inn, now under new management, is reopening in summer 2025 — a development that Dawson says is big news. The inn will house the Pond Village Pub, which the new owners hope will be a gathering spot for visitors and residents alike. It’ll be the only restaurant in town.
For now, locals often run into each other and find themselves catching up at one of Brookfield’s several farm stands, where they stock up on fresh meat and produce. Other shopping requires a bit of a drive. “Brookfield is sort of nestled in between both Randolph and Northfield, which are anchor towns with bigger town centers, shopping and restaurants and that type of thing,” Dawson says. Randolph is about 11 miles south of Brookfield, while Northfield is 10 miles north — both less than a 20-minute drive from the center of town.
School choice for high schoolers in Brookfield
Brookfield belongs to the Orange Southwest Supervisory Union, which is currently unrated by Niche. Children attend prekindergarten through sixth grade at the B-rated Brookfield Elementary School. Vermont’s school choice program means that teenagers and their parents can choose what high school they attend — including private schools, which are tuition-free for residents. One of the closest public options is Randolph Union High School, which has a C. To graduate, all seniors complete a senior project, including a 10-minute oral defense of their work.
Access to I-89, 20 minutes to the nearest hospital
Brookfield is full of winding two-lane country roads, including state Route 12 and state Route 14, and even smaller streets with gravel or dirt surfaces. Residents have easy access to Interstate 89, as it passes right through Brookfield. The closest hospital is Gifford Medical Center, which is about 12 miles away in Randolph.
Heavy rains and potential flooding, “mud season”
During spring and summer, heavy rain can cause flooding in Brookfield. In the past, the town hasn’t been hit as hard as surrounding areas, but the floating bridge was damaged by flooding in 2023. Spring is also marked by what locals call “mud season.” As the ground thaws and spring rains begin, trails and dirt roads get bogged down by mud; Some hiking trails close during this time, and four-wheel drive vehicles are the best way to make it through muddy dirt roads.
Annual ice festival full of snowy activities
The Brookfield Ice Harvest and Mid-Winter Fest is held every January, featuring an ice cutting demonstration, followed by skating, sledding, hockey on the frozen pond and cross-country skiing. It’s one of several events thrown by the Brookfield Historical Society. Dawson says the town also has a Chicken Pie Supper in the fall, held at the Vermont State Grange Center.
Written By
Christina Norwood
