Compare towns
Arlington vs Hooksett 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%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Hooksett | Putney | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
5,876Highest |
2,622 |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
42.6±2Highest 10% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett 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% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%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% |
6.2%±3.7 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. |
$101,053±$25k 25% 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. |
$348,100±$32k 5% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$378,200±$22kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Hooksett 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. |
$1,811±$283Highest 28% 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. |
$4,960 59% 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% |
46%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest 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%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% |
72.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer 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. |
29 min 11% above 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% |
14.4%±4.6Lowest 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #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.