Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Randolph vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Rockingham has the most renters (38.3% rent).
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 | Castleton | Randolph | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
4,453 |
4,843Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| Brookfield and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$70,857±$16kLowest 13% 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 | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% 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 | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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 VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Rockingham 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 | #65 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 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | None 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.