Compare towns
Randolph vs Marlboro vs Castleton
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).
Marlboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+59.7%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Marlboro | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,843Highest |
1,362Lowest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+59.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Highest 6% below VT |
22.7±2.1Lowest 47% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
| Randolph and Castleton 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% |
12%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton 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% |
18.8%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8% VT: 43.8% |
53.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
42.7%±4.8Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$77,135±$10kHighest 5% below VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
| Marlboro and Randolph 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 |
$357,300±$55kHighest 13% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Marlboro and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,600±$824Highest 30% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
| Marlboro and Randolph 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 |
$5,640Highest 12% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
39.1%±43.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 12% below VT |
17 minLowest 26% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
26%±11.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Marlboro 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Marlboro School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| 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 History | 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.