Compare towns
Ascutney vs Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ascutney has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k median).
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 | Ascutney | Castleton | Fair Haven | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,724 |
452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 64.4±7.3Highest 49% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
60.8±7.3 41% above VT |
| Ascutney and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±10.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.9%±15 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waltham and Ascutney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±3.7Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,269±$46kLowest 34% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,800±$91k 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
| Waltham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,429 32% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,865 23% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.5%±24.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Ascutney 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.