Compare towns
Castleton vs Brookfield vs Rochester
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).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Brookfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,486 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Brookfield 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±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Brookfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield 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 |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Brookfield 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.