Compare towns
Bedford vs Castleton vs Randolph
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Bedford | Castleton | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
4,453Lowest |
4,843 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bedford School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 9.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.