Compare towns
Fairfax vs Ripton vs Westminster vs Underhill
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($314k median).
Underhill has the most expensive homes ($446k 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 | Ripton | Westminster | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
508 |
497Lowest |
3,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Underhill 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% |
19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
17.6%±6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the VT average |
$92,267±$54k 14% 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±$61k 25% above VT |
$313,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
| Underhill and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
— | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
— |
| Fairfax and Westminster 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest 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% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 min 26% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| 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 | 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.