Compare towns
Castleton vs Franklin vs Jay vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Franklin has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Franklin | Jay | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,590 |
471Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
38.8±6.9 10% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Jay and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±5.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Franklin and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans 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% VT: 43.8% |
21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
7.5%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$79,917±$21k about the VT average |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$247,400±$66k 22% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$891±$266Lowest 28% below VT |
— | $1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,384 33% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$4,689Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
45.5%±42.2 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
74.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.1%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Franklin 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.