Compare towns
Castleton vs Salisbury vs Springfield vs St. Albans
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Salisbury | Springfield | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,200Lowest |
9,084Highest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Salisbury and Springfield 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% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$90,060±$19k 11% above VT |
| Salisbury 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±$71k 29% below VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| St. Albans and Salisbury 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 |
$1,443±$984 17% above VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Salisbury 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 |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield and St. Albans 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Springfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
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| 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.