Compare towns
Unity vs Brookfield vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the oldest population (median age 58).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Unity | Brookfield | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,375Lowest |
1,486 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
| Unity and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Unity School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| 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 |
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.