What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex has the shortest commute (22 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Essex	Fairfax
People
Population	11,516Highest	5,226Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+17%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.4±1.9Highest about the VT average	38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT
	Essex and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9%	24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Fairfax and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.6%Highest VT: 43.8%	49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.2Lowest VT: 7%	4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7%
	Fairfax and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,199±$14kLowest 36% above VT	$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT
	Fairfax and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT	$378,200±$22kLowest 19% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT	$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,602Highest 31% above VT	$5,497Lowest 9% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±13.1Highest VT: 48.4%	43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Essex and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	5.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Lowest 14 yrs newer than VT	1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 6% below VT	31 minHighest 31% above VT
Work from home	21.5%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Fairfax and Essex 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	#13 of 70 in VT	#36 of 70 in VT
School district	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51	Fairfax School District
High school 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

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.