Compare towns
Sunderland vs Fairfax vs Stratton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunderland has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Stratton has the youngest population (median age 31.5).
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 | Sunderland | Fairfax | Stratton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,269 |
5,226Highest |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40.8±2.8Highest 5% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
| Sunderland and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±5.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sunderland and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,523±$16kLowest 9% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$122,708±$33k 51% above VT |
| Fairfax and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$43kLowest 5% below VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
| Stratton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,413±$242Highest 15% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
| Sunderland and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±61.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Sunderland and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1988 12 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.