Compare towns
Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Hermon vs Ira
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).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Hermon has the most people working from home (8.8%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Hermon | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,724 |
6,727Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Hermon 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. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$333,600±$32kHighest about the U.S. average |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hermon 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.