Compare towns
Castleton vs Madison vs Starks 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).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Madison | Starks | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,782Highest |
556Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.6±3.4Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.7±9.4 20% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Madison and Starks 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% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fair Haven 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% |
25.1%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Madison 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$61,747±$11kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$63,500±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16k 23% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$187,600±$40k 44% below U.S. |
$148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14k 47% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Madison 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. |
$906±$247 36% below U.S. |
$1,063±$301 25% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Starks 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 |
$1,983 36% below U.S. |
$1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$3,865Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±90.3 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Madison 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 | — | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
— | 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.