Compare towns
Fairfax vs Hooksett vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Hooksett has the most expensive homes ($407k median).
Shaftsbury has the most affordable homes ($267k 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 | Hooksett | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
15,057Highest |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43±6.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Shaftsbury and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury and Hooksett 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 24% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 76% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,015Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | #30 of 120 in NH | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Hooksett School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.