Compare towns
Castleton vs Hyde Park vs Jay
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).
Hyde Park has the highest household income ($84k).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Hyde Park | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
3,000 |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
41.6±3.9 3% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
| Jay 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 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
18.7%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$84,375±$9kHighest 4% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Hyde Park and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT |
$234,200±$45kHighest 26% below VT |
| Jay 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 8% below VT |
$1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT |
— |
| Castleton and Hyde Park 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 |
$3,883Highest 23% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #59 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Lamoille Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.