Compare towns
Castleton vs Dummerston vs Sandgate vs Northfield
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 highest household income ($102k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Dummerston | Sandgate | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,090 |
435Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Sandgate and Dummerston 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% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 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%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Dummerston 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Dummerston 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 29% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
— | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 37% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | — | #42 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 |
| High school 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 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.