Compare towns
Fairfax vs Wells vs Georgia
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%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Georgia has the shortest commute (26 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 | Wells | Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,148Lowest |
4,890 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
40.1±4.5 7% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
27.6%±5.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Georgia 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
16.1%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Georgia 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 |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
$105,011±$9k 29% above VT |
| Fairfax and Georgia 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 |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
$360,300±$26k 14% above VT |
| Fairfax and Georgia 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 |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$1,629±$755Highest 32% above VT |
| Georgia and Wells 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 |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,713 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±40.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
26 minLowest 9% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.7%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Georgia 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 | — | #28 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Georgia School District |
| 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.