Compare towns
Cambridge vs Arlington vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Cambridge | Arlington | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767 |
2,598Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
37.6±4 13% 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 | 23%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Arlington and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| 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 | $72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% 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 | $343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 4% below VT |
$1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Arlington and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #50 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Arlington School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Arlington Memorial | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.