Compare towns
Fletcher vs Brookline vs Walden vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the most homeowners (96.1%).
Brookline has the most renters (15.1% rent).
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Fletcher | Brookline | Walden | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
531Lowest |
1,037 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fletcher and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9k 30% above VT |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427 36% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Brookline and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965 about the VT average |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 37% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fletcher School District | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.