Compare towns
Castleton vs Westminster vs Benson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Benson has the highest household income ($79k).
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 | Westminster | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,999 |
784Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
| Westminster and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7%±5.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$78,625±$8kHighest 3% below VT |
| Benson 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 29% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
| Westminster and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
| Castleton and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$4,125Highest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Benson 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.