Compare towns
Fairfax vs Williston 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 the most people working from home (26.7%).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Westford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1982).
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 | Williston | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226 |
10,144Highest |
2,290Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
44.1±8.6 about the VT average |
| Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Westford 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
52.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Westford and Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above 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±$22kLowest 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$424,500±$21k 34% above VT |
| Williston and Westford 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±$130 48% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 31% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fairfax School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.