Compare towns
Essex vs Windham vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Essex | Windham | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
594Lowest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
| Windham and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest 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%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$14k 36% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% 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 |
$353,900±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 14 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest 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 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.