Compare towns
Johnson vs Fairfax vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
St. Albans has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Johnson | Fairfax | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,450Lowest |
5,226 |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 30.9±6.5Lowest 28% below VT |
38.8±3.3Highest 10% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
| Fairfax and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,346±$14kLowest 32% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $169,400±$62kLowest 46% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$45Lowest 23% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,310Lowest 34% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±20.8 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 42% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Fairfax School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.