Compare towns
Springfield vs Castleton vs Middlebury vs Newport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Newport has the most renters (42.4% rent).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Springfield | Castleton | Middlebury | Newport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
4,453 |
9,175Highest |
4,394Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
46.4±4.3Highest 8% above VT |
| Newport and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Newport and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$54,646±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
| Middlebury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$179,400±$11kLowest 43% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$850±$49Lowest 31% below VT |
| Middlebury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,036 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
48.2%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
23%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
57.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
16 min 33% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±8.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Newport 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | #63 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | North Country Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 12.6 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.