Compare towns
Proctor vs Topsham 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).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Topsham | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794 |
999Lowest |
1,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Topsham 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% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% 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 |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$908±$398Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,006Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 16.2% VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham 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 | Waits River Union High District #36 | 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.