Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Brookfield | Castleton | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
4,453Highest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.