Compare towns
Fairfax vs Fletcher vs Walden
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%).
Fletcher has the most homeowners (96.1%).
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k 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 | Fletcher | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,196 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Fletcher 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% |
19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Fletcher 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% |
21.7%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Fletcher and Walden 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% |
32.3% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 |
$105,833±$9k 30% above VT |
$88,000±$15kLowest 8% 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±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,965 about the VT average |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Fairfax 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
32 minHighest 37% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 | Fletcher School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.