Compare towns
Arlington vs Mapleton vs Sandgate 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Sandgate has the oldest population (median age 55.7).
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 | Mapleton | Sandgate | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,884 |
435Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 3% below U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate 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% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton 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 27% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$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. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% 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±$172Highest 16% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
— | $1,080±$131 24% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$2,778 11% below U.S. |
$5,497Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Fairfax 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington and Sandgate 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | 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 | 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.