Compare towns
Brookfield vs Townsend vs Randolph vs Elmore
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%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Townsend | Randolph | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
9,100Highest |
4,843 |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
45±3.5 16% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Elmore 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$98,750±$24k 22% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Elmore 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 |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$315,800±$47k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,225±$263 13% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$5,066 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Randolph and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Randolph 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | North Middlesex | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
9.4Lowest |
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| 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.