Compare towns
Castleton vs Dummerston vs Montpelier
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Montpelier has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Dummerston | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
8,014Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.3±2.4 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Montpelier 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Montpelier 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT |
| Montpelier and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Montpelier 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Dummerston 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 | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.