Compare towns
Wilder vs Arlington vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Wilder | Arlington | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,087 |
2,598Lowest |
5,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Wilder and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Arlington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington 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% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 29% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Fairfax 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 | — | #50 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Arlington School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | — | Arlington Memorial | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.