Compare towns
Arlington vs Jay vs Williston vs Fairfax
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%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Jay | Williston | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
471Lowest |
10,144Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Jay and Williston 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% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston 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 VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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±$11k 26% above VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Williston 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 |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 3% below VT |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
1994 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Jay 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | None in town | 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 | 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.