Compare towns
Castleton vs Brookline vs Putney vs St. Albans
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Brookline | Putney | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
531Lowest |
2,622 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Brookline and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans 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% VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Brookline 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 |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| St. Albans and Putney 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 |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,460±$152 18% above VT |
| Brookline and St. Albans 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.