Compare towns
Castleton vs Windsor vs Bennington vs Northfield
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 most homeowners (79%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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 | Bennington | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
3,554Lowest |
15,249Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Windsor and Bennington 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% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest 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%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bennington 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% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield 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 |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
| Northfield and Castleton 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 |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Castleton and Bennington 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 |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Northfield 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.