Compare towns
Braintree vs Northfield vs Randolph vs Rochester
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 affordable homes ($218k median).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Northfield | Randolph | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
5,920Highest |
4,843 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Randolph and Northfield 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Rochester 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 VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Northfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| 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 31% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$278,700±$38kHighest 12% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Randolph and Northfield 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 |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Randolph and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Rochester 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% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Highest |
9.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.