Compare towns
Castleton vs Braintree vs Orange
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Orange has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.2%).
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 | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,026 |
957Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Orange 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% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Braintree and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kHighest 29% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$222,000±$22k 30% below VT |
| Castleton and Orange 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 |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
| Orange 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 |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
$3,545 30% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Braintree 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% VT: 10.1% |
7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Orange 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 | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.