Compare towns
Athens vs Dover vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most kids (13.9% under 18).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($333k median).
Fairlee has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Athens | Dover | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,466Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
| Fairlee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Dover and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Athens and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.