Compare towns
Dover vs Cornish vs Fairlee vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Dover | Cornish | Fairlee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,816Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Cornish School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
U.S. 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.