Compare towns
Ludlow vs Castleton vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Ludlow | Castleton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 808Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Ludlow and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Ludlow and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,000±$32k 4% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Brookfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
| Castleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 16% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33%±13.8 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Ludlow 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.