Compare towns
Proctor vs Chester vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Proctor | Chester | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,056±$441Highest 14% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Proctor 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
8.7 |
— |
| 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.