Compare towns
Clarendon vs Castleton vs Chester vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Clarendon | Castleton | Chester | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,460Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,992 |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Clarendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Castleton and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32kLowest 30% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$305 11% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Castleton and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,740 26% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
— | 8.7Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.