Compare towns
Shaftsbury vs Windham vs Castleton vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
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 | Windham | Castleton | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,607 |
594Lowest |
4,453 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43±6.6 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 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%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Windham and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
— | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Bennington 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Bennington 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.