Compare towns
Exeter vs Castleton vs Sandgate vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k 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 | Exeter | Castleton | Sandgate | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913 |
4,453Highest |
435Lowest |
1,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Castleton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$3,167Highest about the U.S. average |
$2,778 11% below U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Exeter 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 | — | — |
| 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 | None yet |
U.S. 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.