Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Sunapee vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Sunapee | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843Highest |
3,416 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sunapee School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.