Compare towns
Braintree vs Randolph vs Rochester vs Williston
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).
Randolph has the youngest population (median age 40.4).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Randolph | Rochester | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,843 |
1,389 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% 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% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Randolph 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest 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% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester 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% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | 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.