Compare towns
Castleton vs Sharon vs Proctor 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Sharon has the most people working from home (12.7%).
Proctor has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Sharon | Proctor | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,577Lowest |
1,794 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Sharon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Proctor 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 VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Sharon 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 |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| St. Albans and Sharon 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 |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Sharon 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 |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Sharon 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Sharon School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
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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.