What it's like to live in Randolph
Randolph is a small city in Massachusetts with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Randolph deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 70" per year
How Randolph compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Randolph
Based on Randolph's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,206
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $84,120 a year
- 57% of Randolph renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$99,280
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $49,640
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 49% above US
$2,103/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,103 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $496,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $496,400 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 39% below US
200 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1187/100k · Randolph Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 42% above US
37 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 37 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% take public transit; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Adams National Historical Park (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Randolph's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,103/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
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