Compare towns
Ira vs Fairfax vs Westmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Ira | Fairfax | Westmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
5,226Highest |
465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
| Ira and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$87,188±$11k 7% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$330,000±$137k 4% above VT |
| Fairfax and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
$1,050±$820 15% below VT |
| Fairfax and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$5,357 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
35%±94.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 20% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Westmore 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 | — | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.