Compare towns
Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,724Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
39.2±7.6Highest 9% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Fair Haven 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest 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%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury 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 |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury 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 |
$3,865 23% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest 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% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.