Compare towns
Castleton vs Braintree vs Exeter vs Hyde Park
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($198k 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 | Castleton | Braintree | Exeter | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,000 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
41.6±3.9 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$84,375±$9k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$198,400±$39kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,007±$340 29% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,883 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Exeter 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% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Braintree 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Lamoille Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.