Compare towns
Fairfield vs Salisbury vs Waterville
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).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Fairfield | Salisbury | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
1,200 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Salisbury and Waterville 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% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville 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 |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Salisbury 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±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Fairfield and Salisbury 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 |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Salisbury and Waterville 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 |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Salisbury 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterville and Fairfield 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.