Compare towns
Whiting vs Fairfax vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($280k median).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Cornwall has the oldest population (median age 50.4).
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 | Whiting | Fairfax | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
5,226Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kLowest 12% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$114,583±$32k 41% above VT |
| Fairfax and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Cornwall 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Fairfax School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| 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.