The Town FilesFairfax, Vermont
Town in Franklin County · population 5,014 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $378,200
- Household income
- $128,963
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 127 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 38.8
Fairfax is a town of 5,014 people in Franklin County, Vermont. The median home is worth $378,200, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Vermont towns, more upscale than 84% of Vermont towns, better for families than 77% of Vermont towns.
How Fairfax ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairfax is worth $378,200, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $128,963, which is more affordable than 89% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,080 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairfax | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $378,200 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,080 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $128,963 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in Fairfax
| People | Fairfax | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.5% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 26.7% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 89.3% |
Weather in Fairfax
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 127.2 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 24, 1960 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 3.30 inches on July 16, 2009.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| March 20, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4695: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 17,250 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,487 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Fairfax itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Fairfax
2 public schools with 998 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellows Free Academy Elementary (Fairfax) | PK-6 | 602 | 14.7 |
| Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | 7-12 | 396 | 10.4 |
Towns near Fairfax
- Georgia, VT6.6 mi · 4,845 people · home $360,300
- Milton, VT7.9 mi · 3,804 people · home $337,600
- St. Albans, VT8.7 mi · 6,877 people · home $263,400
- Milton, VT8.8 mi · 10,723 people · home $372,500
- Cambridge, VT10.4 mi · 3,839 people · home $343,000
- St. Albans, VT10.5 mi · 6,988 people · home $363,300
- Essex, VT11.6 mi · 22,094 people · home $447,300
- Underhill, VT12.4 mi · 3,129 people · home $446,000
Fairfax questions
Is Fairfax, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairfax scores better for retirees than 34% of Vermont towns and quieter than 35%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Fairfax?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfax is valued at $378,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $128,963, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,080 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairfax?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 127.2 inches of snow.
Does Fairfax get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 24, 1960. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)