Compare towns
Castleton vs Chester vs Westminster
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).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Chester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,992 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Chester and Westminster 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster 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 |
$749±$315Lowest 39% 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 |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,480Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| 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.