Compare towns
Fairfield vs Proctor vs Sheldon vs Windham
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).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Proctor | Sheldon | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938 |
1,794 |
2,267Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Windham and Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Proctor 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% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Fairfield 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above 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±$441 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
— |
| Sheldon 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Proctor 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% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Sheldon 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.