Compare towns
Fairfax vs Putney 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 highest household income ($129k).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k 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 | Putney | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
2,622Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston 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%±4.1Lowest 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% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Putney 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% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Fairfax and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 9% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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.