Compare towns
Northfield vs Sandgate vs Windham 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).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Sandgate | Windham | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
435Lowest |
594 |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
| Sandgate and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Windham 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% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Windham 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Windham 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 13% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
— | — | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Windham 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 History | None yet | 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.