Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Dummerston vs St. Albans
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).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Randolph | Dummerston | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843 |
2,090Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Dummerston and St. Albans 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% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and St. Albans 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$90,060±$19k 11% above VT |
| Dummerston and St. Albans 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 |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| St. Albans and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Dummerston 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 |
$4,698Highest 7% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| 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 | 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.