Compare towns
Northfield vs Cavendish 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).
Cavendish has the highest household income ($89k).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Cavendish | Castleton | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,242Lowest |
4,453 |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
45.2±5.9Highest 5% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
44.3±5.3 about the VT average |
| Cavendish and Waitsfield 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% |
18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Castleton 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% |
23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Cavendish 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% |
39.3% 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% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$84,375±$34k 4% above VT |
| Cavendish 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 |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,200±$821Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Castleton 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 |
$3,948 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,208Highest 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield and Cavendish 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | 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 | 18 photos → | 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.