Compare towns
Underhill vs Harmony vs Putney vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Underhill has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Underhill | Harmony | Putney | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,141 |
2,344Lowest |
2,622 |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.1±11.4 about the U.S. average |
41.8±7Highest 7% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Harmony and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Underhill and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putney and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,267±$54k 14% above U.S. |
$58,600±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,000±$24kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $788±$40 44% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,697Highest 115% above U.S. |
$2,805Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±18.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Underhill 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 | #2 of 70 in VT | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.