Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Plainfield 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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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 | Windham | Plainfield | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5 12% 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Fairlee 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 |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Windham 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 |
— | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Plainfield 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Windham 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 | — | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school 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.