Compare towns
Ripton vs Fairfax vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Ripton | Fairfax | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
5,226Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Fairfax School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.