Compare towns
Northfield vs Plainfield vs Castleton
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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,314Lowest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 18% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
| Plainfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.