Compare towns
Fairfax vs Panton vs Westford
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%).
Panton has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Westford has the oldest population (median age 44.1).
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 | Panton | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
690Lowest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
42.7±3.8 about the VT average |
44.1±8.6Highest about the VT average |
| Westford and Panton 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% |
24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Panton 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% |
16.7%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westford and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
35.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Westford 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 |
$86,667±$10kLowest 7% above VT |
$112,750±$12k 39% above VT |
| Fairfax and Westford 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 |
$438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT |
$424,500±$21k 34% above VT |
| Panton and Westford 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 |
$1,410±$130 14% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford and Panton 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 |
$6,695Highest 33% above VT |
$6,282 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
61%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Panton and Fairfax 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% |
3.2% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | — | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.