Compare towns
Proctor vs Northfield vs Sheldon 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).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Northfield | Sheldon | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
5,920Highest |
2,267 |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Proctor and Fairfield 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Sheldon 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 |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032 20% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Proctor 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon and Northfield 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.0Highest |
— | — |
| 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.