Compare towns
Castleton vs Derry vs Ira 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).
Derry has the most people working from home (16%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Castleton | Derry | Ira | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
34,116Highest |
381Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.3±1.6 4% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Derry and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% 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%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,103Highest 160% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Derry 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #60 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Pinkerton Academy | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.