Compare towns
Walden vs Castleton vs Middlebury vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 50.1).
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 | Walden | Castleton | Middlebury | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037 |
4,453 |
9,175Highest |
999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
| Walden and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$908±$398 26% 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 | $3,944 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.