Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Royalton vs Westminster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Royalton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843Highest |
2,752Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Westminster 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% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster 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% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Royalton and Randolph 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±$38kHighest 12% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Randolph and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Randolph and Castleton 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 |
$4,675 7% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 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% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | White River Unified School District #79 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | White River Valley High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
8.7Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.