Compare towns
Castleton vs Eliot vs Wells 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).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Eliot | Wells | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
7,146 |
11,713Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Wells 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,215 3% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wells High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Highest |
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.