Compare towns
Castleton vs Ira vs Lenox vs Fair Haven
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).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Lenox has the most people working from home (8%).
Fair Haven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Ira | Lenox | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
381Lowest |
8,658Highest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.1±2 16% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Lenox and Fair Haven 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% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$75,900±$8kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Lenox and Castleton 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. |
$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14k 47% below U.S. |
| Ira and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
$935±$83 34% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$4,184Highest 34% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven 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% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lenox 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 | — | #412 of 484 in NY | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.6Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.