Compare towns
Royalton vs Fairfax vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Royalton | Fairfax | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752 |
5,226Highest |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24k 28% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$97,581±$19kLowest 20% above VT |
| Fairfax and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Barnard 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Fairfax School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
9.8Highest |
— |
| 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.