Compare towns
Fairfax vs Putney vs Wilder
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 highest household income ($129k).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Putney | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
2,622Lowest |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
| Wilder and Fairfax 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
| Wilder and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 9% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| 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 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.