Compare towns
Castleton vs Reading vs Cornish vs St. Albans
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Reading | Cornish | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
699Lowest |
1,816 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Cornish 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% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$90,060±$19k 12% above U.S. |
| Cornish and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$363,300±$22k 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Cornish 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 |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,689 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cornish 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 |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.