Compare towns
Northfield vs Unity vs Castleton vs Cambridge
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%).
Unity has the oldest population (median age 58).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Unity | Castleton | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,375Lowest |
4,453 |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$87,500±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$72,344±$19k 10% below U.S. |
| Unity 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. |
$276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$343,000±$38kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Cambridge and Unity 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. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
| Unity and Cambridge 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. |
$5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Cambridge 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% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield and Cambridge 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 | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Unity School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cambridge School District |
| 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 History | None yet | 4 photos → | 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.