Compare towns
Castleton vs Gray vs Braintree 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gray | Braintree | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
8,429Highest |
1,026Lowest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Castleton 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Gray and Castleton 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 |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
— | 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.