Compare towns
Dover vs Ware vs Fairlee vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Fairlee has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Ware | Fairlee | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
10,048Highest |
1,066 |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Ware 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 35% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$299,300±$47k 10% below U.S. |
| 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 53% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,345 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Fairlee 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Ware | Rivendell Interstate School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.