Compare towns
Brookfield vs Randolph vs Waterbury
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 homeowners (87.9%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
4,843 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Waterbury 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% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury 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±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,027±$535 17% below VT |
| Randolph and Waterbury 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 |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Waterbury 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% |
7.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Brookfield 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school 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 |
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.