Compare towns
Fairfax vs Waterbury vs Castleton
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%).
Waterbury has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Waterbury | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
5,405Highest |
4,453Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
43.2±3.7Highest about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Waterbury and Fairfax 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% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Waterbury 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% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Waterbury 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% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
| Fairfax and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% 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 | $5,497 9% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| 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.