Compare towns
Barnet vs Fairlee vs Windham vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
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 | Barnet | Fairlee | Windham | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855Highest |
1,066 |
594Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Fairlee and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Windham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Windham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
— | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.