Compare towns
Arlington vs Fleming vs Putney 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%).
Fleming has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% 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 | Fleming | Putney | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
2,463Lowest |
2,622 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
43.7±9.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Fleming and Fairfax 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% |
23.7%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Fleming are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fleming 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
$92,216±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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±$59k 4% below U.S. |
$250,000±$32kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$378,200±$22kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$1,773±$334Highest 25% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,214 67% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,497Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
15.7%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 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 | — | #32 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 | 6 photos → | 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.