Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlebury vs Sharon
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Sharon has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
9,175Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Sharon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon 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 VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Middlebury and Sharon 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Middlebury and Sharon 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 |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Middlebury 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Middlebury 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% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Sharon 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.