Compare towns
Randolph vs Barre vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Randolph has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Randolph | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,843Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6kHighest 5% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Randolph and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38kHighest 12% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Randolph and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,698 7% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 12% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Randolph Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
10.7 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.