Compare towns
Fairfield vs Walden vs Wallingford
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%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wallingford has the most renters (17.5% rent).
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 | Walden | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938 |
1,037Lowest |
2,286Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
| Walden and Wallingford 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Wallingford 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% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wallingford and Walden 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% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden 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 |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the VT average |
| Walden 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 |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
| Fairfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Highest 14% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Fairfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,355 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Fairfield 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% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 minHighest 10% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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.