Compare towns
Arlington vs Dummerston vs Windsor 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%).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Dummerston | Windsor | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
2,090Lowest |
3,554 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Dummerston and Windsor 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% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Arlington 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 26% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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 |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Dummerston and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Dummerston 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±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 | — | #61 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 History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.