Compare towns
Castleton vs Ludlow vs Orleans
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 highest household income ($74k).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (17.3%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k 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 | Ludlow | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
808Lowest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
| Ludlow and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Castleton and Orleans 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 |
$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Ludlow 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 |
$1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Castleton and Ludlow 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 |
$4,237Highest 16% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ludlow 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%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Ludlow and Orleans 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 | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| High school 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.