Compare towns
Highgate vs Brookfield vs Castleton vs Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Highgate | Brookfield | Castleton | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,528 |
1,486Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.6±5.4 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
26.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$85,682±$9k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$285,100±$25k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,023±$214 17% below VT |
| Castleton and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558 29% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,191Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Highgate 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.