Compare towns
Castleton vs Bow vs Fair Haven vs Northfield
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).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Bow | Fair Haven | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
8,335Highest |
2,724Lowest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Bow 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%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | #66 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bow School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.