Compare towns
Arlington vs Cornwall 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%).
Cornwall has the oldest population (median age 50.4).
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 | Cornwall | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,208Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Arlington 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11kLowest 26% above VT |
$114,583±$32k 41% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Arlington and Cornwall 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 |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Lowest 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 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.