Compare towns
Fairfax vs Jericho vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($378k median).
Jericho has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Jericho | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
5,114Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
49.7±5.1Highest 15% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Jericho and Williston 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% |
19.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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% |
20.2%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
65.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$116,923±$16k 44% above VT |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above VT |
| Fairfax and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kLowest 19% above VT |
$493,100±$38kHighest 56% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Jericho and Williston 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 |
$1,731±$111 40% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
$7,318Highest 45% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
79.3%±52.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Jericho and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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 | #6 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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| 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.