Compare towns
Fairlee vs Highgate vs Sheldon
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 people working from home (23.5%).
Highgate has the highest household income ($81k).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Highgate | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
3,528Highest |
2,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Highgate 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% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Highgate 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Highgate and Sheldon 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 |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Highgate and Sheldon 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 |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
| Highgate and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620 14% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Highest 26% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,578 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Highgate 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.