Compare towns
Castleton vs Dummerston vs Northfield vs Williamstown
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).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Northfield | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
5,920Highest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Williamstown 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston 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% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$94,418±$10k 16% above VT |
| Dummerston and Williamstown 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±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Williamstown and Dummerston 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 |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,841 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Castleton 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Williamstown 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.