Compare towns
Worcester vs Williston vs Fairfax vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Worcester | Williston | Fairfax | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
10,144Highest |
5,226 |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below 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 | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — |
| 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.