Compare towns
Windham vs Dummerston vs Fairfax vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Windham | Dummerston | Fairfax | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,090 |
5,226Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Fairfax and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dummerston and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 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 | — | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 | 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.