Compare towns
Fairfax vs Castleton vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sandgate has the oldest population (median age 55.7).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
4,453 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Castleton 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%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— |
| Castleton and Fairfax 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 |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Fairfax 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Fairfax 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | 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.