Compare towns
Fairfax vs Barnard vs Fletcher
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Fletcher has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Fairfax | Barnard | Fletcher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,211 |
1,196Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
48.7±7.3Highest 13% above VT |
| Fletcher and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$97,581±$19kLowest 20% above VT |
$105,833±$9k 30% above VT |
| Fairfax and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$302,100±$37kLowest 5% below VT |
| Barnard and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
| Fletcher and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 9% above VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$4,965Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
3.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
29 minLowest 21% above VT |
32 minHighest 37% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Barnard 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Fletcher School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town | 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.