Compare towns
Brookfield vs Colchester vs Randolph
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%).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
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 | Colchester | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
17,648Highest |
4,843 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
| Brookfield and Randolph 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% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Randolph 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% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Randolph and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
| Brookfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,471Highest 9% above VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Colchester 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
74.1% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 15% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Colchester 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 | — | #18 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Colchester School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Colchester High School | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
9.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.