Compare towns
Castleton vs Brookfield vs Putney 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%).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Brookfield | Putney | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,486Lowest |
2,622 |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5 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% |
48.6%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% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 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 | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney 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±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$830±$116 33% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% 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% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%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 |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #32 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 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.