Compare towns
Arlington vs Putney vs Windham 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%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Windham has the oldest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Putney | Windham | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
2,622 |
594Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Windham 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 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 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% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$94,500±$12k 16% above 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 |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Windham 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% 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 |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | #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 | 6 photos → | 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.