Compare towns
Bethel vs Castleton vs Royalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Bethel | Castleton | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Bethel and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$263,200±$73kHighest 17% below VT |
| Royalton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Bethel and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.