Compare towns
Dover vs Fair Haven vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Fair Haven | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
2,724Highest |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fair Haven 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 36% below VT |
$62,404±$16kHighest 23% below VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Fair Haven and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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 |
$830±$116 33% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$4,345 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Fair Haven 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% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.