Compare towns
Northfield vs Pendleton vs Castleton vs Waitsfield
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).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Waitsfield has the most expensive homes ($422k median).
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 | Pendleton | Castleton | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920 |
7,034Highest |
4,453 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
46.7±4.1Highest 20% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
| Pendleton 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Pendleton 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% |
23%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Pendleton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$113,750±$27kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$84,375±$34k 5% above U.S. |
| Pendleton 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 18% below U.S. |
$294,300±$39k 12% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$422,400±$92kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
$994±$119Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,200±$821Highest 15% below U.S. |
| 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 56% above U.S. |
$6,623Highest 112% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 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% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as 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. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield and Pendleton 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 | #67 of 484 in NY | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
14.5Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.