Compare towns
Braintree vs Castleton vs Randolph vs Ware
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%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
4,843 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% 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. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Randolph 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. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Castleton 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. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.