Compare towns
Castleton vs Tunbridge vs Ware 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).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Tunbridge | Ware | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
1,253Lowest |
10,048Highest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
42.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$89,464±$26kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge 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. |
$315,300±$23kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge and Ware 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. |
$1,346±$128Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge 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 |
$4,645Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Ware | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
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.