Compare towns
Brookfield vs Randolph vs Ripton vs Springfield
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%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Randolph | Ripton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,843 |
508Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Springfield 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% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield 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 |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
— | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Randolph and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Ripton 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% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Ripton 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.