Compare towns
Fairfax vs Townshend vs Windham
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 kids (24% under 18).
Townshend has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Townshend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,538 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Townshend and Windham 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Windham 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% |
19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Townshend 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% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Townshend 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 |
$78,750±$29kLowest 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Fairfax and Windham 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 |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
— |
| Fairfax and Townshend 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 |
$5,364Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend 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% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Fairfax 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
8.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.