Compare towns
Randolph vs Eliot vs Castleton vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Randolph | Eliot | Castleton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,843 |
7,146Highest |
4,453 |
1,486Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Eliot 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 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.