Compare towns
Cambridge vs Fairfax vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($343k median).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 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 | Cambridge | Fairfax | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767Lowest |
5,226 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Fairfax 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% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston 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% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Fairfax 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 |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Fairfax and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38kLowest 8% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 4% below VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest about the VT average |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Cambridge and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Fairfax School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.