Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k 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 | Barre | Castleton | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,453Lowest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
| Northfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield and Barre 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.