Compare towns
Dover vs Mendon vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
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 | Mendon | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
1,113 |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
53.4±10.5Lowest 24% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% 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%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon and Dover 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% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Mendon 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±$7k 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,057±$620 14% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest 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 | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
— |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.