Compare towns
Fairlee vs Mendon 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).
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Mendon | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
1,113Highest |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
53.4±10.5Lowest 24% 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% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13%±21.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
29%±1.3Lowest 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.6%±10.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Norton and Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$65,625±$23k 19% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$200,000±$32kLowest 37% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Mendon and Fairlee 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$2,769Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
39 minHighest 68% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest 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. | |||
| 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.