Compare towns
Dummerston vs Waterville vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Dummerston | Waterville | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
680Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Waterville and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Dummerston and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.