Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlesex vs Calais vs Hyde Park
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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($198k 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 | Middlesex | Calais | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,943 |
1,713Lowest |
3,000 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
41.6±3.9 3% below VT |
| Middlesex and Calais 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% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.7%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Calais 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$84,375±$9k 4% above VT |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,883 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Calais 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Lamoille Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.