Compare towns
Castleton vs Busti vs Northfield
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).
Busti has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Busti | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
7,452Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
46.6±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Busti and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Busti and Castleton 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% |
23.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Busti 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$67,292±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13k 11% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Northfield 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. |
$164,600±$12kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Northfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Busti 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 |
$3,876 24% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield and Busti 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.