Compare towns
Castleton vs Strafford vs Windsor vs Hyde Park
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).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Hyde Park has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Strafford | Windsor | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,372Lowest |
3,554 |
3,000 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
41.6±3.9 3% below VT |
| Strafford and Windsor 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Hyde Park 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% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.7%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$84,375±$9k 4% above VT |
| Strafford and Hyde Park 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 |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
$198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT |
| Castleton and Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$3,883 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
23 min 3% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Strafford and Windsor 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Strafford School District | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Lamoille Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.