Compare towns
Castleton vs Royalton vs Shaftsbury
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 affordable homes ($225k median).
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Royalton | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,752Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Royalton and Shaftsbury 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury 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 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Royalton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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 |
$4,675Highest 7% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and Shaftsbury 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | White River Unified School District #79 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.