Compare towns
Swanton vs Cornish vs Castleton vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Franklin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Swanton | Cornish | Castleton | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,670 |
1,816 |
4,453Highest |
1,590Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
38.8±6.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Swanton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$79,917±$21k about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 31% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$247,400±$66k 26% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$891±$266Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Swanton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370 40% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,384 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±42.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Franklin and Cornish 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 | — | Cornish School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.