Compare towns
Castleton vs Sheldon vs West Haven
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).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
West Haven has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Sheldon | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,267 |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
| West Haven and Sheldon 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Castleton 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
| West Haven and Sheldon 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$245,000±$34k 23% below VT |
| Sheldon and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
— |
| Sheldon and Castleton 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 |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$4,485Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
25 minHighest 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon and West Haven 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 | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.