Compare towns
Castleton vs Northfield vs Windham vs Ira
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).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Northfield | Windham | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
5,920 |
16,038Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest 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% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.