Compare towns
Castleton vs Braintree vs Windham vs St. Albans
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Windham | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
19,188Highest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% 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% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$90,060±$19k 12% above U.S. |
| Windham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$363,300±$22k 9% above U.S. |
| Windham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Windham 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 |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,689Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| 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.