Compare towns
Calais vs Fairlee vs Mendon
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).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Fairlee | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
| Calais and Mendon 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 |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
| Calais and Mendon 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 |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
| Calais and Mendon 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 |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Mendon 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 | 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.