Compare towns
Fairfax vs Sutton vs Williston
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 highest household income ($129k).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 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 | Sutton | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
790Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Sutton and Williston 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% |
17.3%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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% |
21.6%±2.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Sutton and Williston 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% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Fairfax and Williston 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 |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 9% above VT |
$3,975Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston 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% |
12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.