Compare towns
Castleton vs Jay vs West Haven
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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
West Haven has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Jay | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
471 |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
| West Haven and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and West Haven 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven 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% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
| West Haven and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$245,000±$34kHighest 23% below VT |
| West Haven and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$4,485Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Jay 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and West Haven 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 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.