Compare towns
Northfield vs Colrain vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Colrain has the oldest population (median age 49.6).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Colrain | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,627Lowest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
| Colrain and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
| Colrain 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±$21k 18% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield and Colrain 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 | Mohawk Trail | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.