Compare towns
Randolph vs Mendon vs Williston vs Brookfield
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 affordable homes ($279k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Mendon | Williston | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,843 |
1,113Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Mendon 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 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Brookfield 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% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
| Williston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Williston and Mendon 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 12% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Mendon 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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 | 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.