Compare towns
Calais vs Fairfax vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most expensive homes ($390k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Calais | Fairfax | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
5,226Highest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 24% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
| Fairfax and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
| Calais and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Fairfax School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.