Compare towns
Castleton vs Hyde Park vs Newfields vs Shaftsbury
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).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Newfields | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
513Lowest |
2,023 |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.6±10.1 10% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
43±6.6 11% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Hyde Park 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% |
16.4%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,306±$285 8% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Newfields 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 about the U.S. average |
$3,893 25% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,015 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #59 of 70 in VT | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Newfields School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 7 photos → | 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.