Compare towns
Shelburne vs Fairfax vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shelburne has the most expensive homes ($588k median).
Fairfax has the most affordable homes ($378k median).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 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 | Shelburne | Fairfax | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,969 |
5,226Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Shelburne and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,963±$16k 43% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above VT |
| Fairfax and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT |
$378,200±$22kLowest 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,442±$589 17% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$5,497Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Shelburne 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 | #8 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fairfax School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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| 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.