Compare towns
Shaftsbury vs Barre vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Barre has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Shaftsbury | Barre | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,607Lowest |
8,412Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43±6.6Highest about the VT average |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,015 20% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Shaftsbury 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 | #62 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.