Compare towns
Cambridge vs Putney 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).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Putney | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767 |
2,622Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
| Fairfax and Cambridge 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest 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% |
18.1%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Putney 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$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±$66Highest 4% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Cambridge and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest about the VT average |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cambridge and Putney 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% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| 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.