Compare towns
Castleton vs Hampton vs Middlebury vs Hyde Park
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Hyde Park has the most homeowners (84.3%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,145Lowest |
9,175Highest |
3,000 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
43.1±14.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
41.6±3.9 7% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Hyde Park 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% |
15.9%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$73,796±$8kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$84,375±$9k 5% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Hyde Park 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. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$198,400±$39k 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,007±$340Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Middlebury 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. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,883 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | Lamoille Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
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.