Compare towns
Arlington vs Dover vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% 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 | Dover | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
33,364Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.8±3.3Highest about the U.S. average |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington and Dover 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| 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±$59kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Dover School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Dover Senior High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
12.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.