Compare towns
Braintree vs Castleton vs Randolph vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Castleton | Randolph | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
4,843Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
| Sharon and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.