Compare towns
Waterville vs Fairfield vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Waterville | Fairfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
1,938 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Fairfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Fairfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Waterville and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.