Compare towns
Brookfield vs Randolph vs Webster vs Braintree
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%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Webster | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,843Highest |
2,227 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Webster 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±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Webster and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Randolph and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Merrimack Valley School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.