Compare towns
Hyde Park vs Reading vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Hyde Park | Reading | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,000 |
699Lowest |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.9 3% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Reading and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$9k 4% above VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
| Reading and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,883 23% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 70 in VT | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | Lamoille Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.