Compare towns
Castleton vs Fairfield vs Proctor vs Williston
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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Fairfield | Proctor | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,938 |
1,794Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Proctor 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% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Williston 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% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Fairfield 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 |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Williston 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% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 6% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.