Compare towns
Braintree vs Castleton vs Northfield vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Braintree | Castleton | Northfield | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
4,453 |
5,920Highest |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
| Braintree and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 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+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Braintree and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% 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 | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
— |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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 | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.