Compare towns
New Haven vs Fairfield vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Haven has the most expensive homes ($379k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
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 | New Haven | Fairfield | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,792Lowest |
1,938 |
3,778Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48±3.9Highest 11% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,321±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
| New Haven and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $379,300±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$320,600±$22kLowest about the VT average |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$143 6% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
| Bristol and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,967 18% above VT |
$4,816Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and New Haven 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 | — | — | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| 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.