Compare towns
Castleton vs Cornish vs Highgate 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).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Highgate | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,816Lowest |
3,528 |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44±7.4 13% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Highgate 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% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Highgate 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% |
19.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$81,017±$14k about the U.S. average |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$280,500±$21k 16% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Highgate 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. |
$895±$691Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% 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. |
$3,558 14% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% 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% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate and Northfield 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cornish School District | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.0Highest |
| 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.