Compare towns
Windham vs Castleton vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Windham | Castleton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
4,453 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Windham and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Castleton and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Windham 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.