Compare towns
Colchester vs Castleton vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Colchester | Castleton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648Highest |
4,453 |
1,486Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4 9% below VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471Highest 9% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 15% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Colchester School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | — |
| 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.