Compare towns
Castleton vs Plainfield vs Shaftsbury
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).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Plainfield | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,314Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Shaftsbury 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% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shaftsbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
| Shaftsbury 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±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Plainfield and Shaftsbury 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Shaftsbury 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 | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.