Compare towns
Orleans vs Brookfield vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Orleans | Brookfield | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 809Lowest |
1,486 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Brookfield and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 33% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.