Compare towns
Castleton vs Keene vs Dummerston 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
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
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 | Keene | Dummerston | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
22,939Highest |
2,090Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Fair Haven 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Keene 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. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Keene 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 |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Keene School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.