Compare towns
Arlington vs Cabot vs Putney vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Arlington | Cabot | Putney | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,579Lowest |
2,622 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
40.3±6.6Highest 6% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Cabot and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Cabot and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cabot and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$77,031±$16kLowest 5% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$268,500±$77kLowest 15% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 3% below VT |
$1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Cabot and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,639 8% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
9% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
30 min 27% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
— | — | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.