Compare towns
Cambridge vs Castleton vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Cambridge | Castleton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767Lowest |
4,453 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
43.2±3.7Highest about the VT average |
| Waterbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Cambridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #25 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| 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.