Compare towns
Castleton vs Williamstown vs Cornish
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).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Williamstown | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
3,579 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Williamstown 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williamstown 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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% |
17.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$94,418±$10kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Williamstown and Cornish 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. |
$234,900±$24k 29% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Williamstown 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. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,841 23% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williamstown and Cornish 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 | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.