Compare towns
Fairfax vs Underhill 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).
Underhill has the most kids (27.8% under 18).
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 | Underhill | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
3,141Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston 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% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Fairfax 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% |
17.6%±6 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.5%±2Lowest 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 |
$92,267±$54kLowest 14% above 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±$22kLowest 19% above VT |
$446,000±$24k 41% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Underhill 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 |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest 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% |
6.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.8% 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 min 31% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3Lowest 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 | #2 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | 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 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.