Compare towns
Castleton vs Croydon vs Plainfield 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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Croydon | Plainfield | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
798Lowest |
2,522 |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
43±9.1Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Croydon and Plainfield 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% |
19%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Croydon 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% |
27.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Croydon 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$98,333±$21k 22% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Croydon 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. |
$317,300±$33k 5% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$991±$336Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,806 22% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Croydon School District | Plainfield School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/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.