Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Wilder vs Windsor
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 homeowners (79%).
Randolph has the most people working from home (12.9%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
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 | Wilder | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843Highest |
3,087Lowest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Wilder and Windsor 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%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Wilder 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6kHighest 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Randolph and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$278,700±$38kHighest 12% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| Randolph and Wilder 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 |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
| Randolph and Wilder 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 |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Randolph and Wilder 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — | — |
| 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.