Compare towns
Cornwall vs Fairlee vs Mendon vs Newfane
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Cornwall | Fairlee | Mendon | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,066Lowest |
1,113 |
1,456Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Lowest 17% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$5,174Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Lowest 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 | 0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| 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.