Compare towns
Castleton vs Sutton vs Dummerston vs Shaftsbury
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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Dummerston | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,239 |
2,090Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
43±6.6 11% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24k 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Dummerston 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. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Dummerston 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 |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,015 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Sutton 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 | — | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.