Compare towns
Putney vs Randolph vs Fairfax vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Putney | Randolph | Fairfax | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
4,843 |
5,226Highest |
2,598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
40.4±7.4Highest 6% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
37.6±4 13% below VT |
| Randolph and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,500±$59k about the VT average |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
| Arlington and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Fairfax 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Fairfax School District | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
9.8 |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.