Compare towns
Burke vs Fairfield vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Burke | Fairfield | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,317Lowest |
1,938 |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.8 5% below VT |
42.3±2.7Highest about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
| Fairfield and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Burke and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,143±$17kHighest 7% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
| Burke and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,600±$18kHighest 8% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
| Burke and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$191Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,177Highest about the VT average |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 8% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Burke and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.