Compare towns
Fair Haven vs Exeter vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Fair Haven | Exeter | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,724Lowest |
16,151Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 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+ | 18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,865 24% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 59 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.