Compare towns
Castleton vs Braintree vs Hartford
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Braintree and Hartford 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 |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Castleton 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 |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Hartford 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6 |
| 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.