What stands out worked out from the figures below

Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).

Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Williamstown	Fair Haven
People
Population	3,579Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42±5Highest about the VT average	39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT
	Williamstown and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%	19.4%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Williamstown and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	18.4%±4.5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Fair Haven and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	23.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7%	4.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Williamstown and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$234,900±$24kHighest 26% below VT	$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT	$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,841Lowest 24% below VT	$3,865Highest 23% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±20.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Williamstown and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	18.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	80.6%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest about the VT average	31 minHighest 31% above VT
Work from home	13.9%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%	4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 70 in VT	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Paine Mountain Union School District #68	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Williamstown Middle/High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.