Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Nelson vs Crystal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Nelson | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281 |
1,884Highest |
648 |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8 49% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
63.2±8.4Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±11.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
49%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 33% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$48,125±$13kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18k 56% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$129,200±$60kLowest 61% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 33% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,563±$922Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Crystal and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 54% below U.S. |
$1,789 43% below U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$943Lowest 70% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Nelson School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.