Compare towns
Castleton vs Kirby vs Lowell
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).
Kirby has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Lowell has the most affordable homes ($183k 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 | Kirby | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
756Lowest |
1,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
38.8±7.1Highest 10% below VT |
32.9±6.5Lowest 24% below VT |
| Kirby and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
30%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
30.7%±6.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Lowell and Kirby 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% |
19.2%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Kirby 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% |
32.4% VT: 43.8% |
19.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
$57,404±$15k 29% below VT |
| Castleton and Lowell 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 |
$302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT |
$183,400±$33kLowest 42% below VT |
| Kirby and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
$945±$46Lowest 23% below VT |
| Kirby and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 37% below VT |
$4,597Highest 9% below VT |
$2,810Lowest 44% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
26.3%±92.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Lowell 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% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5% VT: 73.2% |
94.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
34 min 43% above VT |
55 minHighest 135% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.5%±2.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Lowell School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.