Compare towns
Sheldon vs Wallingford vs Ira 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 people working from home (13%).
Wallingford has the most renters (17.5% rent).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Fairfield has the most expensive homes ($321k median).
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 | Wallingford | Ira | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,267 |
2,286Highest |
381Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4% VT: +2.8% |
— | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Ira and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest 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% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$261,900±$44kLowest 17% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$942±$52 24% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Fairfield 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 |
$4,355 14% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Ira 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.