Compare towns
Randolph vs Ripton vs Brookline 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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Ripton | Brookline | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,843Highest |
508Lowest |
531 |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Ripton and Brookline 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Castleton 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Randolph 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Castleton 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 |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173 5% below VT |
— | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,698 7% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 12% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | 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 | 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.