Compare towns
Windham vs Fairfax vs Brookline vs Ripton
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).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Fairfax | Brookline | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
5,226Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Brookline 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% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton 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 |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Brookline 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline 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 | — | Fairfax School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school 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.