Compare towns
Smithville vs Castleton vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithville has the most affordable homes ($173k median).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hartford has the most people working from home (14.1%).
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 | Smithville | Castleton | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,525Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±3.2 11% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.6±6.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,433±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$65,163±$6kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$189,500±$28k 43% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,098±$102 22% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,736 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±31.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±45.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hartford and Castleton 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | HARTFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | HARTFORD MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.