Compare towns
Sandgate vs Fairfax vs Wheelock
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 expensive homes ($378k median).
Wheelock has the most homeowners (97.9%).
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 | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
5,226Highest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
| Sandgate and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Wheelock 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% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock 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% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$2,937 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Lowest 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.