Compare towns
Ashford vs Castleton vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the oldest population (median age 52.3).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Ashford | Castleton | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,834Lowest |
4,453 |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.3±6.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,558±$11kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $194,600±$43kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Northfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $654±$132Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,079 31% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.4%±79.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield and Ashford 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.