Compare towns
Castleton vs Dummerston vs Springfield 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
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Springfield | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
9,084Highest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
| Dummerston and Springfield 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Springfield 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
23.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Dummerston 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±$71k 29% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
| Dummerston 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,865 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Springfield 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Springfield High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.