Compare towns
Randolph vs Ware vs Brookfield vs Braintree
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Ware | Brookfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,843 |
10,048Highest |
1,486 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,172±$173Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Randolph 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Ware | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Randolph Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.