Compare towns
Castleton vs Cornish vs Benson vs Hyde Park
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).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Hyde Park has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Cornish | Benson | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,816 |
784Lowest |
3,000 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
41.6±3.9 7% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Benson 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
$84,375±$9k 5% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Hyde Park 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. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
$198,400±$39kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
$1,007±$340Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton 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 |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
$3,883 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Cornish 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 | — | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cornish School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Lamoille Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.