Compare towns
Arlington vs Fairfax vs Ripton vs Salisbury
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 most kids (24% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
5,226Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Ripton 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% |
16.6%±3.2 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% 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±$59k about the VT average |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Fairfax 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 |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% 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 |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.