Compare towns
Castleton vs Fair Haven vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Townsend | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,724 |
9,100Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%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 |
40.9±3.3 5% 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%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% |
35.5% 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% |
5.1%±2.4 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,146 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% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% 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. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above 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% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.