Compare towns
Arlington vs Northfield 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%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k 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 | Northfield | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
5,920Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest 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%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Arlington and Northfield 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| 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 about the VT average |
$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| 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 3% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Arlington and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Northfield Middle/High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
10.0 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.