Compare towns
Castleton vs Tunbridge vs Ware vs St. Albans
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).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,253Lowest |
10,048Highest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above 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%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Tunbridge and St. Albans 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%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tunbridge and St. Albans 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% |
33.6% 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% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$89,464±$26k 11% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$90,060±$19kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Tunbridge 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±$23k 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$363,300±$22kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,346±$128 5% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Tunbridge 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. |
$4,689Highest 50% 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%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tunbridge and St. Albans 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest 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% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer 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 about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Ware | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.