Compare towns
Castleton vs Moriah vs Brookline vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Moriah has the most affordable homes ($138k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Moriah | Brookline | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,483 |
531Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
56.7±3Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$63,113±$6kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,768±$13k 11% below U.S. |
| Brookline 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 32% below U.S. |
$138,200±$9kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$832±$165Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$2,644Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Northfield 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 | #380 of 484 in NY | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | MORIAH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | MORIAH JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.