Compare towns
Castleton vs Proctor vs St. Albans vs Northfield
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).
Proctor has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
St. Albans has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Proctor | St. Albans | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,586Lowest |
7,057Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
47.3±8.9Highest 10% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Proctor 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% |
17.2%±5 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans 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% |
23.5%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$75,060±$12k 8% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| St. Albans and Proctor 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 |
$206,000±$20kLowest 35% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,059±$200 14% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below 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 |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
39.4%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 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% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
22 min 5% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT | #42 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.