Compare towns
Castleton vs Jay vs Williamstown
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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Williamstown has the highest household income ($94k).
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 | Jay | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
471Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Jay and Williamstown 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% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Williamstown 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% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
| Williamstown 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±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$234,900±$24kHighest 26% below VT |
| Williamstown and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
— | $1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$3,841Highest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Castleton 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Williamstown 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| 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.