Compare towns
Walden vs Fairfax vs Stannard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Fairfax has the most kids (24% under 18).
Stannard has the most affordable homes ($216k 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 | Walden | Fairfax | Stannard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037 |
5,226Highest |
228Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
| Walden and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±9.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.9%±8.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Stannard and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$66,979±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
| Fairfax and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$216,200±$44kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
— |
| Fairfax and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$4,183 17% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Walden 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | 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.