Compare towns
Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Putney vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Putney | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,724 |
2,622Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven 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% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$830±$116 41% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Putney 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% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.