Compare towns
Proctor vs Waterville vs Fairfield vs Ryegate
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 people working from home (9.4%).
Waterville has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Waterville | Fairfield | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
680Lowest |
1,938Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Waterville 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% |
20.4%±8.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Ryegate 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% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Ryegate 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% |
32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Proctor 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 |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below 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 |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Waterville 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 |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Waterville 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% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1949 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Proctor and Waterville 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | 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 | 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.