Compare towns
Dover vs Middlesex vs Windham 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Middlesex | Windham | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,943Highest |
594Lowest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Windham 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Middlesex 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Middlesex and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | 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.