Compare towns
Castleton vs Durham vs Hanover 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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Northfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Hanover | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
10,681 |
11,685Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Highest about the U.S. average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1 26% below U.S. |
36.4±4.1 6% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Northfield 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% |
75.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
55.4%±19.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Hanover 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hanover High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7Highest |
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.