Compare towns
Sandgate vs Fairfax vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Fairfax has the most kids (24% 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 | Sandgate | Fairfax | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435 |
5,226Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Fairfax and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — |
| 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.