Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph vs Windsor 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 most homeowners (79%).
Randolph has the most people working from home (12.9%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Randolph | Windsor | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843 |
2,060Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
44.6±12.3Highest 3% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Windsor and Randolph 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% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Randolph 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% |
40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$76,758±$6kHighest 5% below VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Randolph 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±$71k 29% below VT |
$278,700±$38kHighest 12% below VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Randolph and Northfield 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 |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
| Randolph 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 |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Randolph 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| 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.