Compare towns
Fairlee vs Cavendish vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Cavendish has the most kids (18.3% under 18).
Norton has the most affordable homes ($200k 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 | Fairlee | Cavendish | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
1,242Highest |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
53.8±6.7 25% above VT |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
13%±21.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±15.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.6%±10.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Norton and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$65,625±$23k 19% below VT |
| Cavendish and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
$285,100±$40kHighest 10% below VT |
$200,000±$32kLowest 37% below VT |
| Cavendish and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Highest 14% below VT |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
— |
| Fairlee and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 26% below VT |
$3,948Highest 22% below VT |
$2,769Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Fairlee and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
39 minHighest 68% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.5%±18Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Norton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.