Compare towns
Castleton vs Hampton vs Chester
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).
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Hampton | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,145Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±14.7 11% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Hampton 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% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$73,796±$8k 9% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kHighest 30% below U.S. |
| Chester and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.2%±25.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Hampton 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.