What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).

West Haven has the oldest population (median age 54).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northfield	West Haven
People
Population	5,920Highest	234Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT	54±10.5Highest 25% above VT
Kids under 18	14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.5%±13.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	West Haven and Northfield 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%	29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT	$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT
	West Haven 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±$21kHighest 13% below VT	$245,000±$34kLowest 23% below VT
	Northfield and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$207 18% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,878Highest 3% below VT	$4,485Lowest 11% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Northfield and West Haven 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%	10.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT	1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 16% above VT	25 minLowest 8% above VT
Work from home	12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9%	10.4%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Northfield and West Haven 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	—
School district	Paine Mountain Union School District #68	—
High school in town	Northfield Middle/High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.