Compare towns
Hope vs Randolph vs Appleton vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Hope | Randolph | Appleton | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
4,843Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
47.1±6.2 21% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Vernon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$74,395±$6k 8% below U.S. |
| Hope and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$264,200±$23k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$893±$168Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Hope and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 23% above U.S. |
$4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$2,832Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Hope 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 | — | #55 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.