Compare towns
Castleton vs Eliot 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).
Eliot has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Eliot | Ira | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
7,146Highest |
381Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Ira and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest 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% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Eliot 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 32% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% 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 |
$4,549Highest 46% 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% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% 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. |
1979Highest 1 yr older 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. |
23 min 15% below 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% |
17.4%±4.7Highest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school 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 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.