Compare towns
Mendon vs Brookfield vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Mendon | Brookfield | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,486 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
| Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Mendon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
| Mendon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Mendon 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 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | 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 |
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.