Compare towns
Castleton vs Berlin vs Fair Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Berlin has the most people working from home (12.9%).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Castleton | Berlin | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,960Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±5.3Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Berlin and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$80,313±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$214,600±$22k 35% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,160±$309Highest 18% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,518 13% above U.S. |
$3,865Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.7%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Castleton 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 | BERLIN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | BERLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.