Compare towns
Fair Haven vs Ossipee vs Castleton vs West 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
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Ossipee has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
West Haven has the most people working from home (10.4%).
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 | Ossipee | Castleton | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,724 |
4,521Highest |
4,453 |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±10.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| West Haven and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±13.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee and Fair Haven 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% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Haven and Ossipee 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% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$85,250±$29k 6% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$245,000±$34k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,865 24% above U.S. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,485Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Castleton 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3%Highest 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. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Haven and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 70 in VT | #100 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.