Compare towns
Fairfax vs St. Albans vs White River Junction
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 homeowners (85.7%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | St. Albans | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
6,954Highest |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Fairfax and St. Albans 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% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and St. Albans 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% |
13.9%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans and Fairfax 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% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction and St. Albans 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 |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and White River Junction 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.