Compare towns
Fairfax vs Upton vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Shaftsbury has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
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 | Upton | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
8,189Highest |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43±6.6 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shaftsbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairfax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29k 60% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Upton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Highest 24% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,079±$54 24% below U.S. |
| Fairfax and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497 76% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,015Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Upton 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 282 in MA | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.