Compare towns
Castleton vs Walden vs Elmore vs Fair Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Walden | Elmore | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,037 |
964Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
45±3.5 4% above VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
| Walden and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.4%±9.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Elmore and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
47.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Elmore and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$315,800±$47kHighest about the VT average |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$1,225±$263Highest about the VT average |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
| Elmore and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$5,066Highest about the VT average |
$3,865 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.8% VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
29 min 25% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
VT 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.