Compare towns
Castleton vs Stowe vs Windham vs Northfield
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Stowe | Windham | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
5,285 |
19,188Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Windham 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stowe and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Windham and Stowe 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Windham 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 |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Stowe Town School District | RSU 14 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | Windham High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
12.1Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.