Compare towns
Underhill vs Meredith 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 kids (27.8% under 18).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Meredith | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,141Lowest |
6,758Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.1±11.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 27.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairfax and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,267±$54k 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$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±$24k 34% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,697Highest 115% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%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. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.