Compare towns
Sharon vs Fairfax vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
New Haven has the shortest commute (22 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 | Sharon | Fairfax | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
5,226Highest |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
48±3.9Highest 11% above VT |
| New Haven and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
| Fairfax and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kLowest 10% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$379,300±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| New Haven and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,163±$143 6% below VT |
| Sharon and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 17% above VT |
$5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,967Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and New Haven 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 | Sharon School District | Fairfax School District | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| 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.