Compare towns
Putney vs Waterville vs Fairfield
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 most people working from home (16.9%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Putney | Waterville | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
680Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Waterville and Fairfield 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% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Putney and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Putney 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 |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Putney 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 |
$1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% 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 | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Waterville 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% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney and Waterville 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.