Compare towns
Fairfax vs Castleton vs Shaftsbury
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).
Shaftsbury has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
4,453 |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43±6.6Highest about the VT average |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax 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% |
21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shaftsbury 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Fairfax and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Shaftsbury 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% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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.