Compare towns
Fairfax vs Fairfield vs Proctor
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%).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Fairfield | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,938 |
1,794Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
| Proctor and Fairfield 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% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield 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% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Proctor 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 |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
| Fairfax and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
| Fairfax and Fairfield 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 |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.