Compare towns
Castleton vs Brookfield vs Middlebury vs Fair Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookfield | Middlebury | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,486Lowest |
9,175Highest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
| Brookfield 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest 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+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Brookfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
| Middlebury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,865 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.