Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Richmond vs Stowe
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).
Richmond has the highest household income ($108k).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Richmond | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843 |
4,159Lowest |
5,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
| Stowe and Richmond 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% |
21.5%±5 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
59.1% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$108,235±$24kHighest 33% above VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
| Richmond and Stowe 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 |
$432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
— | $1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Stowe 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 |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Randolph 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% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.8% VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Richmond 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.