Compare towns
Middlesex vs Windham vs Castleton vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Waterbury has the most expensive homes ($447k 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 | Middlesex | Windham | Castleton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
594Lowest |
4,453 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Middlesex and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,435 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.