Compare towns
Fairfax vs Glover vs Wells
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%).
Glover has the oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Glover | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,051Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
48.4±5.9 12% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Glover 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% |
22.3%±5 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Glover 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% |
24.2%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Glover 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% |
35.5% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Glover and Fairfax 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 |
$73,839±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$264,700±$34k 16% below VT |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$973±$130Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Fairfax 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 |
$3,234Lowest 36% below VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
39.3%±64.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Fairfax 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.1% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 31% above VT |
40 min 69% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Glover 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 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.