Compare towns
Proctor vs Sandgate vs Ira 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Fairfield has the most expensive homes ($321k median).
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 | Sandgate | Ira | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
435 |
381Lowest |
1,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Sandgate and Ira 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% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±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% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Sandgate 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% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Fairfield 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 |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% 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±$17k 34% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
— | $942±$52Lowest 24% 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 | $4,032 20% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and Ira 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.