Compare towns
Proctor vs Starksboro 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).
Starksboro has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Starksboro | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
1,939Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-1.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
38.2±4.8Lowest 11% 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%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.4%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Starksboro and Fairfield 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% |
17.4%±2 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±1.9Lowest 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±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
$82,188±$15k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Starksboro 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 |
$287,700±$42k 9% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,306±$91Highest 6% above VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Starksboro and Fairfield 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±26.3Lowest 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% |
91.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Starksboro 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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.