Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Castleton vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (7.5%).
Castleton has the most expensive homes ($225k median).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Bridgewater | Castleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
4,453Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 25% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.7±9.4 20% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15k 19% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$63,500±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 53% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,063±$301 25% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 55% below U.S. |
$3,167Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±90.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bridgewater and Castleton 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 | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school 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.