Compare towns
Randolph vs Colchester vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Colchester | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,843Lowest |
17,648Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Highest 6% below VT |
39.3±1.4 9% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Randolph and Colchester 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% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Northfield 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% |
40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Northfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,471Highest 9% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 12% below VT |
20 minLowest 15% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Colchester School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Randolph Union High School | Colchester High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
11.8Highest |
10.0 |
| 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.