Compare towns
Proctor vs Castleton vs Fairfield vs West Rutland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
West Rutland has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Proctor | Castleton | Fairfield | West Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,938 |
2,240 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
47.8±5.1Highest 11% above VT |
| West Rutland and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.8%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Rutland and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
35.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$61,161±$27kLowest 25% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17k 34% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$196,400±$27kLowest 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$883±$151Lowest 28% below VT |
| Castleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032 20% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,498 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
60.1%±22.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and West Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 9% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
13.6%±4.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| West Rutland and Proctor 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 | — | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.