Compare towns
Proctor vs Windham vs Castleton vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
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 | Windham | Castleton | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
594Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Windham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Windham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
— | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 History | 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.