Compare towns
Castleton vs Fairfax vs Ira vs Benson
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).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Fairfax | Ira | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
5,226Highest |
381Lowest |
784 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
| Ira and Benson 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% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
7%±5.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$78,625±$8k 3% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
| Castleton and Benson 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 |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Benson 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Benson 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fairfax School District | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.