Compare towns
Fair Haven vs Sheffield vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fair Haven has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Sheffield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,724Highest |
573 |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
| West Haven and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
27.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
| West Haven and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,500±$14k 44% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$245,000±$34kHighest 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
— |
| Sheffield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,865 23% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$4,485Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
25 minLowest 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| West Haven and Sheffield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.