Compare towns
Arlington vs Fairfax vs Ripton vs Calais
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%).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Fairfax | Ripton | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
5,226Highest |
508Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Calais 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% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Calais 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Calais 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% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$100,625±$27kLowest 24% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais 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 |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
— | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais 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 |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Ripton 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 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 | Fairfax School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.