Compare towns
Castleton vs Northfield vs Windsor vs St. Albans
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
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 | Northfield | Windsor | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
5,920 |
3,554Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Windsor and St. Albans 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Windsor 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and St. Albans 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% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans 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 29% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.