Compare towns
Castleton vs Cornwall vs Rochester vs St. Albans
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).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Cornwall | Rochester | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,208Lowest |
1,389 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Rochester and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Cornwall 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$90,060±$19k 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and St. Albans 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 |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$363,300±$22k 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans 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 |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Cornwall 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.