Compare towns
Dover vs Hancock vs Salisbury 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%).
Hancock has the youngest population (median age 33.8).
Salisbury has the highest household income ($100k).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Hancock | Salisbury | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
435Lowest |
1,200 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above 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% |
17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Salisbury 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% |
34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Hancock 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 |
$76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Salisbury and Hancock 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 |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Dover and Salisbury 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 |
$939±$19 24% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Fairlee 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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.