Compare towns
Hampton vs Dummerston vs Castleton vs Smithville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Hampton | Dummerston | Castleton | Smithville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,145Lowest |
2,090 |
4,453Highest |
1,525 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±14.7 11% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±3.2 11% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,796±$8k 9% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$70,433±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42k 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,264±$375 11% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,536Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$4,254 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Hampton 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.