Compare towns
Castleton vs Fairfield vs Stratton
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 most affordable homes ($225k median).
Fairfield has the most people working from home (7.8%).
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Stratton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,938 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
42.3±2.7Highest about the VT average |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
| Fairfield and Castleton 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%±5 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
| Stratton 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±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
| Stratton and Castleton 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 |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Fairfield 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% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.