Compare towns
Castleton vs Windham vs Smithville 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).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Smithville has the most affordable homes ($173k median).
Fair Haven has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
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 | Windham | Smithville | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
594Lowest |
1,525 |
2,724 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±3.2 11% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fair Haven and Castleton 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$70,433±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14k 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $889±$186 37% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Smithville 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 |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,254 36% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Smithville 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% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6 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 | — | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school 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.