Compare towns
Arlington vs Holbrook 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%).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k 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 | Holbrook | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
11,380Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 3% below U.S. |
42.8±3.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Holbrook and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Holbrook 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% |
19.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington and Holbrook 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% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Holbrook 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±$11kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Holbrook 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. |
$465,400±$21kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,094±$423 23% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,105Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.3Lowest 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 | #234 of 282 in MA | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Holbrook | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Holbrook Middle High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
14.3Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.