Compare towns
Castleton vs Hampden vs Williston
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).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hampden | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
7,896 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Hampden 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Williston 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Williston 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. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Williston 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 22 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.