Compare towns
Braintree vs Dummerston vs Fairlee vs Newfane
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Braintree | Dummerston | Fairlee | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
2,090Highest |
1,066 |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Braintree and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
| Dummerston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Dummerston and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,266±$238 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rivendell Interstate School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.