Compare towns
Castleton vs Tunbridge vs Ware 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Tunbridge | Ware | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,253Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Ware and Tunbridge 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% |
21.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Tunbridge and Ware 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% |
20.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
42.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$89,464±$26kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13k 11% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge and Castleton 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. |
$315,300±$23kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge and Ware 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. |
$1,346±$128Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge and Castleton 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 |
$4,645 49% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tunbridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Ware | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
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.