Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Brookfield vs Randolph vs Newfane
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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Bridgewater | Brookfield | Randolph | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,486 |
4,843Highest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Randolph and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% 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 |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Brookfield and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$5,174Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Randolph 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% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 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 |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Brookfield 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Randolph Union High School | 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.