Compare towns
Fairfield vs Jay vs Windham vs Fletcher
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Jay | Windham | Fletcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
471Lowest |
594 |
1,196 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +5.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
| Jay and Fletcher 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% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Fletcher 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Fairfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
| Fletcher and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
| Windham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
— | — | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
| Fletcher 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,965 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fletcher and Windham 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
32 min 37% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Fletcher School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.