Compare towns
Castleton vs Plainfield vs Williamstown
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 expensive homes ($318k median).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,314Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Williamstown 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Castleton 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
| Williamstown 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 |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$3,841 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Plainfield 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Williamstown 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 | — | #47 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 | — | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.