Compare towns
Castleton vs Stockbridge vs Brookfield vs Ira
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).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Stockbridge | Brookfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
791 |
1,486 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
55.3±5.3Highest 28% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Stockbridge and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
35%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$77,109±$12k 5% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield and Stockbridge 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 |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,140±$126Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Stockbridge 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 |
$4,488 11% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Stockbridge 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% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Brookfield 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.