Compare towns
Castleton vs Depew vs Shaftsbury
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Depew has the most people working from home (9.2%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Depew | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
15,000Highest |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±2Highest 12% above U.S. |
43±6.6 11% above U.S. |
| Depew and Shaftsbury 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% |
18.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury and Depew 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% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$73,556±$8kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$86,071±$24kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Shaftsbury 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±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$196,500±$8kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$267,300±$24kHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,061±$77Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,079±$54 24% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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 |
$5,458Highest 75% above U.S. |
$4,015 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.6%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Depew 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% |
9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Depew and Shaftsbury 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 | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.


