Compare towns
Fairfax vs Ripton vs Salisbury vs Whiting
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%).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
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 | Ripton | Salisbury | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
| Salisbury and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Whiting 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$91,250±$38kLowest 12% 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±$22k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
| Ripton and Fairfax 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 |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.