Compare towns
Fairfield vs Washington vs Wells
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).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Wells has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Washington | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
1,056Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
52.9±5.1Highest 23% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Washington and Wells 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% |
16.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Washington 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% |
24.3%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Washington 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% |
31%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Fairfield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$66,103±$8kLowest 19% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Fairfield and Wells 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 |
$217,700±$37kLowest 31% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$996±$285Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Fairfield 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 |
$3,485 31% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.5%±63.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Washington 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% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
31 min 31% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Washington and Wells 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.