Compare towns
Northfield vs Cavendish vs Castleton vs Williamstown
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 most people working from home (18.5%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,242Lowest |
4,453 |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%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 |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Cavendish and Williamstown 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cavendish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
| Williamstown and Cavendish 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±$40kHighest 10% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Cavendish and Northfield 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 |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,948 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,841 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Castleton 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest 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 |
1986Highest 10 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 |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Cavendish and Williamstown 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 | #47 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 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Highest |
— | — | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.