Compare towns
Castleton vs Chester vs Pownal
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.7%).
Pownal has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Chester | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,992Lowest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
49±9.1 14% above VT |
| Chester and Pownal 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Pownal 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 VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Castleton and Pownal 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$256,600±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
| Pownal and Chester 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 |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Castleton and Chester 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 |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,560 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Pownal 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pownal and Chester 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.