Compare towns
Arlington vs Putney vs Castleton vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Arlington | Putney | Castleton | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
2,622 |
4,453 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
| Fairfax and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Arlington and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Fairfax 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
— | — | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.