Compare towns
Castleton vs Bellows Falls vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Castleton | Bellows Falls | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,891Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
| Northfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Castleton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield and Bellows Falls 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.