Compare towns
Castleton vs Fairfax vs Shaftsbury
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Shaftsbury has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
5,226Highest |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
43±6.6Highest about the VT average |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax 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% |
21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shaftsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Fairfax and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Castleton and Fairfax 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 |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fairfax School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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 |
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| 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.