Compare towns
Arlington vs Orange 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%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Orange | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
7,573Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 3% below U.S. |
41.8±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Orange 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% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington and Orange 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairfax and Arlington 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% 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. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% 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. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% 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. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,497Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
9.8 |
| 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.