Compare towns
Castleton vs Dummerston vs Windham 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).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
16,038Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Windham 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% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.