Compare towns
Northfield vs Calais vs Castleton vs Waitsfield
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 renters (26.5% rent).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Calais | Castleton | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,713Lowest |
4,453 |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
44.3±5.3Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$84,375±$34k 4% above VT |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,200±$821 about the VT average |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,208 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6Lowest 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Waitsfield 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.