Compare towns
Brookfield vs Arkwright vs Randolph vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Arkwright has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Brookfield | Arkwright | Randolph | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
859Lowest |
4,843Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Arkwright and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$93,000±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$170,900±$30kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,760Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±65.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.