Compare towns
Castleton vs Enosburgh vs Windham vs Shaftsbury
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Enosburgh has the most renters (24.3% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Shaftsbury has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Enosburgh | Windham | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,804Lowest |
16,038Highest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.6±3.9 4% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
43±6.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Shaftsbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Shaftsbury 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% |
17.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury 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% |
20.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$63,828±$17kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$223,100±$39kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$852±$87Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,079±$54 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,624 16% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,015 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±11.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #26 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 | Windham School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Enosburg Falls Middle/High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.