Compare towns
Fairfax vs Wells vs Westford
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).
Westford has the most expensive homes ($425k 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 | Wells | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
1,148Lowest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
44.1±8.6 about the VT average |
| Wells and Westford 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% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Westford 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% |
17.2%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Westford 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 |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
$112,750±$12k 39% above VT |
| Fairfax and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford and Wells 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 |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 31% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
33 min 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Westford 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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.