Compare towns
Castleton vs Highgate vs Smithville
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).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Smithville has the most affordable homes ($173k 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 | Smithville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
3,528 |
1,525Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44±7.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.1±3.2 11% above U.S. |
| Highgate and Smithville 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% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Smithville 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Highgate 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% |
19.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,433±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Highgate and Castleton 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. |
$280,500±$21kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Highgate and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$895±$691 37% below U.S. |
$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Highgate 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 |
$3,558 14% above U.S. |
$4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Smithville 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate and Castleton 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 | — |
| 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 |
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.