Compare towns
Castleton vs Salisbury vs Wallingford
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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Wallingford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
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 | Salisbury | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,609Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Wallingford 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% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Wallingford 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. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$4,355 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Merrimack Valley School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.