Compare towns
Castleton vs Wakefield 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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Wakefield | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
5,405 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| St. Albans 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$90,060±$19k 12% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and St. Albans 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. |
$322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
$363,300±$22kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
$1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$4,689Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and St. Albans 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Wakefield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.