Compare towns
Fairfax vs Brookline vs Ripton 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 the most people working from home (26.7%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Fletcher has the most homeowners (96.1%).
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 | Fairfax | Brookline | Ripton | Fletcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
1,196 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.7±7.3Highest 13% above VT |
| Fletcher and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline 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% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
32.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$105,833±$9k 30% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— | $1,679±$427 36% above VT |
| Brookline and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$4,965 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
32 minHighest 37% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 | 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.