Hydeville School · Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Measured against area pay, Castleton costs more to live in than 76% of U.S. towns
It ranks #42 of 71 in Vermont for affordability. Up 4.5% in a year, 15% below the Vermont typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Rutland, VT micro area ($69K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 0 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across the Rutland-area micro earn ($69K, Census 2020–24). Even so, the typical home costs 3.3 years of area income, and 68% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $333Ktypical home, 15% below the Vermont typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,640a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 3.3 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$69K, Rutland-area income
- 20%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 68%of renters pay 30%+ of income for housing; across Vermont: 48%Census 2020–24
- 25%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
Housing in Castleton, in brief
About two in three renters are stretched
68% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent, against 48% across Vermont. A standard two-bedroom would take 27% of the median household income. Renting ↓
A second-home town
21% of Castleton’s homes are seasonal or vacation homes, empty for much of the year. Property taxes ↓
Fewer people, more homes
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Castleton lost 259 residents while 51 new homes were permitted. With 21% of homes used seasonally, part of the new building serves people who don’t live here year-round. New homes ↓
A median income goes further next door
At Castleton’s median income, the calculator’s budget of about $269K falls short here but covers the typical home in Poultney ($206K) and Fair Haven ($251K). Can I afford it? ↓
Written from the data on this page. Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index, through September 2026; permits are Census figures through 2025; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Castleton’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Castleton is more affordable than 24% of U.S. towns, #42 of 71 in Vermont. The share of households paying 30%+ for housing pulls the grade down most; home prices hold it up.
Values have outpaced Vermont: the typical Castleton home is up 25.3% in five years, against 16.9% statewide (Zillow).
Up 25.3% in five years
Faster than Vermont (16.9%).
Show as a table
| January | Castleton | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $190,000 | $240,000 |
| 2018 | $200,000 | $252,000 |
| 2019 | $207,000 | $260,000 |
| 2020 | $212,000 | $270,000 |
| 2021 | $234,000 | $297,000 |
| 2022 | $276,000 | $343,000 |
| 2023 | $309,000 | $371,000 |
| 2024 | $324,000 | $392,000 |
| 2025 | $321,000 | $392,000 |
| 2026 | $326,000 | $391,000 |
| September 2026 | $333,000 | $392,000 |
A typical Castleton home worth $187K in October 2016 is worth about $333K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A year’s rent takes 20% of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Castleton’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $82K short of a typical Castleton home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,640 a month here, $490 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Castleton’s typical property tax (1.41% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,640
Renters already here pay a median of $1,137, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Rutland County, VT): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
6 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 6 new homes in Castleton in 2025: 4 single-family houses and 2 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $1.5 million to build. That's 1.3 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Vermont (4). Over the past 10 years, Castleton has permitted 78 homes in all.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Castleton's population fell by 259 even though 51 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 21% of Castleton's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across Vermont: 1.1 new residents per new home.
Every year as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 6 | 4 | 2 | $1.5 million |
| 2024 | 13 | 13 | 0 | $4.3 million |
| 2023 | 19 | 11 | 8 | $4.3 million |
| 2022 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2021 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.3 million |
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $496,000 |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2018 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2017 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.2 million |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $673,000 |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2014 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.9 million |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $184,000 |
| 2012 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $909,000 |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $346,000 |
| 2010 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $768,000 |
| 2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $894,000 |
| 2008 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1.8 million |
| 2007 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2006 | 15 | 15 | 0 | $2.6 million |
| 2005 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $2.8 million |
| 2004 | 13 | 13 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $80,000 |
| 2000 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $434,000 |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
Property tax runs below the Vermont norm
The median bill is $3,167 (Vermont: $5,039), 1.41% of a home’s value a year, against 1.59% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Castleton vs. its neighbors
Of the 5 towns here with a Zillow value, Castleton has the 4th-lowest. Poultney has no Zillow value, so it is in the table only.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castleton | C− | $333K | $225K | 1.41% | $1,640 |
| Poultney | B− | — | $206K | 1.71% | $1,180 |
| Ira | – | $310K | $273K | 1.52% | $1,490 |
| Fair Haven | C+ | $251K | $177K | 2.19% | $1,340 |
| Hubbardton | – | $333K | $294K | 1.80% | $1,460 |
| Benson | – | $304K | $242K | 1.70% | $1,340 |
“—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures. “—” under Cost: not graded (too little Census data, or under 1,000 residents).
Questions about the cost of living in Castleton
Is Castleton expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Castleton costs more than 76% of U.S. towns: a C− for cost of living, #42 of 71 in Vermont. The typical home costs 3.3 years of the median household income of the Rutland, VT micro area ($69K).
How much does a house cost in Castleton?
About $333K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 4.5% in a year. The Vermont typical home is $392K.
What salary do you need to live in Castleton?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $91,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $2,130 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $66,000.
How much is rent in Castleton?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,640 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $1,137 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Castleton?
The median bill is $3,167 a year, 1.41% of the median home value (Vermont: $5,039, 1.59%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Castleton going up?
Yes: up 4.5% in the past year and 25.3% in five years, against 16.9% across Vermont (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Castleton buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.