Compare towns
Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Hardwick
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).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Hardwick has the most people working from home (11.8%).
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 | Fair Haven | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,724Lowest |
2,965 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
| Hardwick 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
| Hardwick 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±$71kHighest 29% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
| Castleton and Hardwick 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 |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
| Castleton and Hardwick 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 |
$3,865 23% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest 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% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Castleton 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | #68 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Hazen Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.