Compare towns
Castleton vs Exeter vs Plainfield vs St. Albans
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).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Exeter | Plainfield | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
16,151Highest |
1,314Lowest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$90,060±$19k 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and St. Albans 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$363,300±$22k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,460±$152 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,689 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Plainfield 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.