Compare towns
Castleton vs Moriah vs Jay vs St. Albans
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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Jay | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,483 |
471Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
56.7±3Highest 46% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Moriah and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% 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% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$63,113±$6kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$90,060±$19kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Jay 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. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$363,300±$22kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$832±$165Lowest 41% below U.S. |
— | $1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$2,644Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,689Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and St. Albans 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | MORIAH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | MORIAH JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.