What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).

Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairfield	Waltham
People
Population	1,938Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.1% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT
Kids under 18	25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4%	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	39%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Fairfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,019±$22kLowest 7% above VT	$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT
	Waltham 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±$22kLowest about the VT average	$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT
	Waltham 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	$1,096±$113Highest 11% below VT
	Waltham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,816Lowest 4% below VT	$5,714Highest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4%	29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	5.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	86.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 8 yrs newer than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
School district	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.