Compare towns
Brookline vs Castleton vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookline | Castleton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
4,453 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.