Compare towns
Braintree vs Appleton 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
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Braintree | Appleton | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,360 |
4,843Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Randolph and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Randolph 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 | — | — | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Appleton Public Schools | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
| 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.