Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlebury vs Randolph vs Tunbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Randolph has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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.
| Measure | Castleton | Middlebury | Randolph | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
9,175Highest |
4,843 |
1,253Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
42.7±8.3Highest about the VT average |
| Tunbridge and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge and Middlebury 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
9.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.