Compare towns
Castleton vs Walpole vs Brookfield 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).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Walpole | Brookfield | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
3,690 |
1,486Lowest |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole 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% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%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%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Walpole 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% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | 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 → |
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.