Compare towns

Brookfield vs Durham vs Williston vs Randolph

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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureBrookfieldDurhamWillistonRandolph
People
Population
1,486Lowest
15,080Highest
10,144
4,843
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
47±5.9Highest
21% above U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
45.4±4.5
17% above U.S.
40.4±7.4
4% above U.S.
Brookfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.3%±4.4
U.S.: 22%
Williston 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
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
22.9%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
11.2%±2.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$98,500±$23k
22% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
$76,758±$6kLowest
5% below U.S.
Durham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$339,300±$15k
about the U.S. average
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$475,800±$40k
43% above U.S.
$278,700±$38kLowest
16% below U.S.
Durham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$975±$306Lowest
31% below U.S.
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,172±$173
17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,560Lowest
46% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$4,698
51% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
30.4%±27.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
54.1%±17.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
37 minHighest
38% above U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
20 min
25% below U.S.
21 min
22% below U.S.
Work from home
27.3%±10.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
12.9%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookfield and Williston 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 — #9 of 120 in NH #11 of 70 in VT #55 of 70 in VT
School district Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 Oyster River Coop School District Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
High school in town None in town Oyster River High School None in town Randolph Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3Highest
—
9.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 51 photos → 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.