Compare towns
White River Junction vs Fairfax vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | White River Junction | Fairfax | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,364 |
5,226Highest |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
| White River Junction and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and White River Junction 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 | — | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school 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.