Compare towns
Bradford vs Ira vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradford has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Bradford | Ira | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,827Highest |
381Lowest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±3.1Lowest about the VT average |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bradford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,600±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Bradford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,472 11% below VT |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Bradford 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 | #45 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Oxbow Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.