Compare towns
Calais 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
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Calais | Dover | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
1,466 |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
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 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest 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+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Calais and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Calais and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Calais and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rivendell Interstate 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 |
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.