Compare towns
Mount Tabor vs Castleton vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Mount Tabor | Castleton | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 304Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Castleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,233Highest 4% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 46 minHighest 94% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.4%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Mount Tabor 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 | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.