Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlesex vs Sheffield
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%).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k 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 | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,943 |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Sheffield 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Middlesex 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Middlesex and Castleton 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±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Sheffield 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% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None 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.