Compare towns
Fairfax vs Windham vs Worcester
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 kids (24% under 18).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,226Highest |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Fairfax and Worcester 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Windham 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Worcester 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.