Compare towns
Braintree vs Castleton vs Ossipee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ossipee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
4,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.