Compare towns
Williston vs Fairfax vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k 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 | Williston | Fairfax | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,144Highest |
5,226 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$101,696±$21kLowest 25% above VT |
| Fairfax and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 16% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fairfax School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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 History | 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.