Compare towns
Proctor vs Swanton 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).
Swanton has the most renters (22.1% rent).
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 | Swanton | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
6,820Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.3% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
43.7±5.5Highest about the VT average |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Swanton 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% |
20.7%±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%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Swanton 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$81,371±$14k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Swanton 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 |
$285,100±$35k 10% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Swanton 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 |
$1,257±$133Highest about the VT average |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Swanton 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 |
$4,449 12% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and Swanton 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% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
77.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Proctor and Swanton 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 | — | #27 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | 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 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.