Compare towns
Sheldon vs Montpelier vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Montpelier | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267 |
8,014Highest |
1,938Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average |
42.3±2.7Highest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Montpelier and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Montpelier and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Montpelier and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.