Compare towns
Fairfax vs Richmond vs Ripton
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 people working from home (26.7%).
Richmond has the most expensive homes ($432k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Richmond | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
4,159 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
+2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Richmond 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% |
21.5%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Richmond 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% |
19.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Richmond 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% |
59.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$108,235±$24kLowest 33% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 |
$432,200±$39kHighest 37% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Richmond and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 9% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Fairfax 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% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
78.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Richmond 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.