Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Brookfield vs Castleton vs Randolph
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
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 | Bridgewater | Brookfield | Castleton | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,486 |
4,453 |
4,843Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
| Brookfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
| Randolph and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,698Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.