Compare towns
Fairlee vs Castleton vs Bradford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Fairlee | Castleton | Bradford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
4,453Highest |
2,827 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.7±3.1 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.1%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bradford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$258,600±$30k 18% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
| Bradford and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,472 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 minHighest 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Bradford 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #45 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oxbow Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| 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.