Compare towns
Castleton vs Highgate vs Ira 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).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
St. Albans has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
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 | Highgate | Ira | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
3,528 |
381Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Ira and Highgate 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% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Highgate 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 VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Highgate 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 |
$280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$942±$52 24% 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 |
$3,558 29% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$4,689Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and St. Albans 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.