Compare towns
Sheldon vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Fairfield has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Westminster | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267Highest |
497Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
43.3±11.5Highest about the VT average |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Westminster and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Fairfield 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% |
19.7%±11.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Fairfield 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% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfield and Westminster 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 |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Westminster 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 |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% 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 |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Sheldon 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.