Compare towns
Randolph vs Fairfield vs Walden
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).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Fairfield | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,843Highest |
1,938 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Walden 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% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Fairfield and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Randolph and Fairfield 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 |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 12% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school 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 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.