Compare towns
Castleton vs Proctor vs Stowe vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Stowe | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,794Lowest |
5,285 |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Stowe 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Proctor 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% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe 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% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Stowe 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Stowe 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% 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 |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Northfield 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 |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Stowe Town School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Stowe High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.