Compare towns
Castleton vs Townsend vs Fair Haven vs Ira
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).
Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Townsend | Fair Haven | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
9,100Highest |
2,724 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Castleton 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 |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | North Middlesex | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
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.