Compare towns
Fairfield vs Barre vs Proctor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Proctor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Fairfield | Barre | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938 |
8,412Highest |
1,794Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
| Barre and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816 4% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and Barre 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% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Proctor 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| 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.