Compare towns
Fairfax vs Stratton 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%).
Stratton has the youngest population (median age 31.5).
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 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 | Stratton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
532Lowest |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
39.6±2.7Highest 8% below VT |
| Whiting and Fairfax 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% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±4 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Whiting 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% |
33.2% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Fairfax 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 |
$122,708±$33k 51% above VT |
$91,250±$38kLowest 12% above VT |
| Fairfax and Stratton 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 |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
| Stratton 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 |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
| Stratton 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 |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1988 12 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — | 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.