Compare towns
Castleton vs Brookfield vs Westford
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 people working from home (27.3%).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,486Lowest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
44.1±8.6 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Westford 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% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Castleton 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% |
52.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$112,750±$12kHighest 39% above VT |
| Westford and Brookfield 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±$15k 7% above VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford 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 |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Brookfield 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest 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 | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
33 min 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Westford 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 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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.