Compare towns
Northfield vs Eliot vs Castleton vs Berlin
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 renters (26.5% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Eliot | Castleton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920 |
7,146Highest |
4,453 |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Berlin 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Berlin 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Berlin 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.