Compare towns
Castleton vs Sutton vs Plainfield 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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Sutton | Plainfield | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,239 |
1,314Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%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% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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 |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Castleton 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 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. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
— | 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.