Compare towns
Braintree vs Randolph vs Waitsfield
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 most kids (17.3% under 18).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (31%).
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 | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
4,843Highest |
193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4 35% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Randolph and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
71.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±9.1 VT: 7% |
| Randolph and Waitsfield 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 |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$26,384±$5kLowest 68% 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 |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
— |
| Randolph and Braintree 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 |
$4,698Highest 7% below VT |
$4,688 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
14 minLowest 40% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield 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 | — | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.