Compare towns
Colchester vs Hartford vs Randolph
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
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 | Colchester | Hartford | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648Highest |
10,736 |
4,843Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
| Hartford and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Randolph and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,172±$173Lowest 5% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471 9% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 15% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
21 minHighest 12% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester and Hartford 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Colchester School District | Hartford School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | Hartford High School | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.6 |
9.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.