Compare towns
Dover vs Enosburgh vs Middlebury vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Enosburgh has the most kids (21% under 18).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Enosburgh | Middlebury | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
2,804 |
9,175Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
40.6±3.9 6% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below 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 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 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+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
20.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$63,828±$17k 21% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$223,100±$39kLowest 30% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Middlebury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$852±$87 31% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$3,624Lowest 28% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.9%±11.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
32 minHighest 36% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Enosburg Falls Middle/High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.