Compare towns
Fairfax vs Walden vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 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 | Walden | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,037Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Putney 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% |
20.4%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Walden and Putney 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% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Putney 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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.