Compare towns
Fletcher vs Whitingham vs Fairfield vs Walden
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 highest household income ($106k).
Whitingham has the most renters (14.8% rent).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Whitingham | Fairfield | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
1,368 |
1,938Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
-1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above 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% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest 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 | $105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Fletcher and Walden 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 |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Fairfield and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Fletcher and Fairfield 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 |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Walden 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fletcher School District | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.