Compare towns
Castleton vs Randolph 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).
Randolph has the most people working from home (12.9%).
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 | Randolph | Starks | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,843Highest |
556Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% 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 |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
46.7±9.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Starks and Randolph 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% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph 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% |
40.8%Highest 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% |
11.2%±2.5 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±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$63,500±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Randolph 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. |
$278,700±$38kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14k 47% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,063±$301 25% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Randolph and Castleton 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 |
$4,698Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Randolph 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% |
7.7%Lowest 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% |
67.2%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. |
1971 9 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. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Randolph 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
— | 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.