Compare towns
Fair Haven vs Sheldon vs Ira
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 affordable homes ($177k median).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Fair Haven | Sheldon | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,724Highest |
2,267 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Fair Haven and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Ira and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$942±$52 24% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ira 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,146Highest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Ira 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.5 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| 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 | None yet | 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.