Compare towns
Northfield vs Braintree vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Northfield | Braintree | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Braintree and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
| Northfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.