Compare towns
Sheffield vs Castleton vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Sheffield | Castleton | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8Highest about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42±8.6Highest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Calais and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.