Compare towns
Castleton vs Windsor vs Plainfield
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).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Windsor | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,060 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Castleton 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% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Plainfield 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 VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Castleton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Castleton 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 |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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 VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.