Compare towns
Fletcher vs Randolph vs Arlington vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Fletcher | Randolph | Arlington | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
4,843Highest |
2,598 |
1,148Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
| Fletcher and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
| Arlington and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$1,172±$173Lowest 5% below VT |
$1,191±$172 3% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Fletcher and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965Highest about the VT average |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,549 10% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #55 of 70 in VT | #50 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fletcher School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Arlington School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | Arlington Memorial | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
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.