Compare towns
Castleton vs Proctor vs Lyme vs Northfield
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).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Lyme | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,794 |
1,710Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
42.4±6.4 9% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Proctor and Lyme 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% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 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% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Lyme School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.