Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlesex vs Williston vs Worcester
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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Worcester has the oldest population (median age 47).
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 | Williston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,943 |
10,144Highest |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Middlesex and Williston 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Williston 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% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Worcester 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.