Compare towns
Castleton vs Cambridge vs Brookfield
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).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Cambridge | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
3,767 |
1,486Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge 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 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest 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% |
50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above 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 |
$343,000±$38kHighest 8% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Cambridge and Brookfield 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 |
$1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Cambridge 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 |
$4,910Highest about the VT average |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge 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% |
6.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #25 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cambridge School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.