Compare towns
Salisbury vs Fairfax vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Salisbury | Fairfax | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,200 |
5,226Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% 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 | 16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest 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+ | 30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest 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+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21kLowest 23% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% 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 | $306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
— |
| Salisbury and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest 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 | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 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 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.