Compare towns
Cambridge vs Putney vs Fairfax vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k 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 | Cambridge | Putney | Fairfax | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,767 |
2,622Lowest |
5,226Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% 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 | 23%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 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 | $72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
| Cambridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Putney 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
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| 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.