Compare towns
Dover vs Putney vs Fair Haven
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%).
Putney has the highest household income ($80k).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Putney | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
2,622 |
2,724Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
| Dover and Fair Haven 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
| Putney and Fair Haven 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Dover and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49 46% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$830±$116Highest 33% below VT |
| Fair Haven and Dover 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.