Compare towns
Dummerston vs Barre vs Fairlee vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Dummerston | Barre | Fairlee | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
8,412Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Fairlee and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Rivendell Interstate School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.