Compare towns

Dummer vs Fairlee vs Orford

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummer has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (15%).
Orford has the youngest population (median age 48.9).

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.

MeasureDummerFairleeOrford
People
Population
299Lowest
1,066
1,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+1.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
0%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
53.6±6.4
38% above U.S.
56.2±8.7Highest
44% above U.S.
48.9±3.3Lowest
26% above U.S.
Fairlee and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.4%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
12.2%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
12.3%±3.1
U.S.: 22%
Dummer and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.4%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
33.4%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0%±5.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.3%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,250±$21k
13% above U.S.
$74,760±$10kLowest
7% below U.S.
$92,571±$24kHighest
15% above U.S.
Orford and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$242,200±$51kLowest
27% below U.S.
$274,200±$39kHighest
18% below U.S.
$271,900±$25k
18% below U.S.
Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,083±$242Lowest
23% below U.S.
$1,263±$686Highest
11% below U.S.
Orford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,898Lowest
7% below U.S.
$5,617
80% above U.S.
$5,836Highest
87% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
89.2%±71.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.8%±10.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
9%
U.S.: 12.5%
14.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
5% below U.S.
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
26 minHighest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.8%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15%±7.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.8%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Rivendell Interstate School District Rivendell Interstate School District
High school in town — None in town Rivendell Academy
Students per teacherat that high school — —
9.5
On TownTapestry
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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.