Compare towns
Castleton vs Fairlee vs Hampton vs St. Albans
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).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (15%).
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Fairlee | Hampton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,066Lowest |
1,145 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.1±14.7 11% above U.S. |
41.3±2.8 6% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$73,796±$8kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$90,060±$19kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$363,300±$22kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,264±$375 11% below U.S. |
$1,460±$152Highest 3% above U.S. |
| St. Albans and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,689 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.6%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and St. Albans 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% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and St. Albans 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.