Compare towns
Castleton vs Duxbury vs Fairfax
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Duxbury has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Duxbury | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,548Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.7% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.5±4.4Lowest 13% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
| Fairfax and Castleton 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% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
6.5%±3.3 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$105,208±$25k 30% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$364,600±$27k 15% above VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,318±$407Highest 7% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Duxbury 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 |
$6,564Highest 30% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
21.2%±21Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1988 12 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Duxbury 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Harwood Union Middle/High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.