Compare towns
Fairfax vs Castleton vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
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 | Fairfax | Castleton | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
4,453 |
3,767Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
| Fairfax and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
| Cambridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,910 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.