Compare towns
Castleton vs Tunbridge vs Windham 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Tunbridge | Windham | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,253Lowest |
19,188Highest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
43±6.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Shaftsbury 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%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Tunbridge 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%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury and Tunbridge 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% |
42.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$89,464±$26k 11% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24k 7% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,346±$128Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge 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 |
$4,645Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,015 29% 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% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Tunbridge 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 | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | RSU 14 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| 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.