Compare towns
Castleton vs Mount Tabor vs Northfield vs Ripton
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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Mount Tabor has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Mount Tabor | Northfield | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
304Lowest |
5,920Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Northfield 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% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor and Ripton 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% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
— | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Ripton 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 |
$2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,233Highest 4% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.