Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brandon vs Castle Hill vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brandon has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Brandon | Castle Hill | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,120Highest |
281Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$54,250±$14kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$80,724±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
$145,300±$18kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42kHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Union and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
$950±$574 33% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Union and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$4,241Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Union and Mapleton 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.