Compare towns
Castleton vs Bow vs Dummerston vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Bow | Dummerston | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
8,335Highest |
2,090Lowest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bow School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| 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.