Compare towns
Colchester vs Castleton vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the highest household income ($98k).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Burlington is a college town. 32.3% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648 |
4,453Lowest |
44,675Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Highest 9% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
26.8±0.8Lowest 38% below VT |
| Colchester and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±1.2Lowest 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%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.1%±1.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Colchester 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% |
60.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.3%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,109±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Colchester and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25k 25% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$444,800±$19kHighest 40% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122 19% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,649±$53Highest 34% above VT |
| Burlington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471 9% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$7,335Highest 46% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
55.6%±4.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
20.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
41.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 15% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±2.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #23 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Colchester School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Burlington School District |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | None in town | Burlington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.