Compare towns
Walden vs Fairfield vs Salisbury
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 most people working from home (21.4%).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Fairfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
1,938Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Fairfield 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 |
$87,019±$22kLowest 7% above VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
| Salisbury 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±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Fairfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Fairfield 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 |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Salisbury 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 10% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.